Amidst the most difficult circumstances produced by the long-time embargo and the collapse of Soviet support, the Cuban revolution is struggling for survival. There is, however, no clear blueprint for economic and political adjustment.

The authors claim that the main reason for the return of post-communist parties is that they could sell themselves as social-democratic parties. Accordingly, their failure to fulfill the related promises will be the main cause for their fall. In order to understand the dynamic of East European politics, class analysis must be revived.

Two books have been published on the history of the Hungarian Free Democrats i.e. the former "democratic opposition". The author compares these books and also reviews a critique of the same books by Miklós Szabó.  (Ervin Czizmadia: A magyar demokratikus ellenzék. I-III. [The democratic opposition in Hungary], T-Twins Kiadó 1995., Ripp Zoltán: Szabad demokraták [Free Democrats]. Napvilág Kiadó 1995.

Human Rights Watch: Right Denied: The Roma of Hungary. New York, 1996.

 

The perils of the Hungarian roma population has been well known. A recent study by the American Human Rights Watch organisation presented a shocking summary of the suffering of the roma in Hungary.