In Venezuela, instead of a frontal attack against the old administrational and bureaucratic machinery, parallel structures were created to perform the tasks that the traditional apparatus was unfit to solve. These new, parallel structures mainly organized from below manage the social, health-care and educational programs of the Chávez-government that received much international attention. The resources and authorities of these parallels are, however, limited that delays the solution of many urgent problems and hinders the progress toward a direct democracy.

Table of contents

1. Szigeti Péter, Tanay Marcell, Alpár Róbert, Benyik Mátyás : Reflexions to the 3rd European Social Forumról (London, 15-18 October 2004)
2. Szigeti Péter : Towards the 4th social pilar of the EU
3. Vastagh Pál : On the EU Constitutional Treaty through Hungarian eyes
4. Lóránt Károly : The EU Constitutional Treaty
5. Vincze Hajnalka : Security and defence policy reforms in the Constitutional Treaty
6. Gerald Epstein : Power of the central banks
7. Eric Toussaint : The World Bank and the IMF in the service of dictatorships
8. Farkas Péter : A very decent discussion paper for the developing world
9. Tütő László : Haves and have-nots Part 1
10. John Lea : Crime as governance
11. Sonja Buckel : Autonomy and violence
12. Simon Paulenz : Unjust justice
13. Ursula Flossmann, Bernd Piringer : Free player of the law
14. Konok Péter : On the margins of an unclosable dispute
15. Krausz Tamás : Reflections to the current debate on socialism
16. Deák Barna : To the leftwing critique of the Soviet experience
17. Védegylet Oktatáspolitikai Műhely : Is the school flunking?

The study recionstructs the theoretical and political-historical notion of socialism, thus flowing into the debate going on the pages of this journal. The author points out that the notion of socialism is multilayered and has a changing meaning and this can not be separated from the natural needs of people (free education, health care etc.) However, in order to become universal, it must expand into an economic development, which must include surmounting the trusteeship of both the state and capital.

Strange transitions have happened on the brims of globalisation. The study presents the result of the "deep drilling" in the surroundings of Kunhegyes. The micro-processes tell a lot about the nature of teh big picture.

The evolution of Hungarian new capitalism, similarly to the other Central Eastern European countries has happened under the flag of neoliberalism. One of the specialities of transition is the multiple change of political orientation of the technocrats and economists, which (among others) has led to te present dual party orientation.