The conservative government caused an enormous damage to the Hungarian cultural and intellectual life between 1990 and 1994. Many believe that this was the story of the past. However, negative tendencies can continue under the Socialist-Liberal coalitoion as well, and a return of the right cannot be ruled out either.

The author used to belong to the so-called Democratic Opposition, but since 1989 he has found the most important to prevent pre-war political tendencies from returning. This attitude necessitates a strong stand against anti-communism.

The Great Transformation, written by the Hungarian born Karl Polanyi, has become a basic work for sociologists and economic historians in the West. McRobbie investigates how Polanyi used cultural instruments in his analysis of the capitalist economy.

An evergreen debate among Hungarian historians has run around the personality of Arthur Görgei, commander in chief of the Hungarian army in the 1848-49 liberation war. Ronai describes him as an adventurer, who was far from identifying with the real objectives of the revolution and liberation.

There is no natural place for our region on the Western part of Europe. We are, and will be between East and West, and should behave accordingly. Analyists and politicians should investigate not only the alleged advantages of the Euro-Atlantic integration, but disadvantages and difficulties as well.