Inequalities emerging in the sphere of education, and particuarly higher education, illustrate strikingly the dramatic changes that have taken place within the structure of Hungarian society. Recent reform initiatives do not improve but if possible deteriorate the situation of those excluded from quality and higher education. (The article is a written version of a lecture at College for Social Theory, April 1997.)

One of the current tasks of the Hungárián government is to teach the people how to love NATO. The article gives an overview of the often astonishing instruments of this PR-strategy.

A book written by Erzsébet Szalai is a first attempt to present a comprehensive volume about the transformation of employee representation in Hungary, starting with the movement of workers' councils. The reviewer was part of the movement that launched the workers' councils, and comments the volume from the point of view of the eyewitness and the historian.

A recent book by progressive economists provides a devastating critique of the idea of single market and monetary union in Europe. The authors, however, can also be criticised from an ecological point of view, for making too much concessions to grand infrastructural projects destroying the environment and local jobs. (A. Amin and J. Tomaney (eds): Behind the Myth of the European Union: Prospects for Cohesion. Routledge, London 1995)

The historically high level of unemployment in Western Europe is the greatest challenge before economists and politicians. Most of the authors contributing to a book (Michie and Grieve Smith (eds): Unemployment in Europe. London, Academic. Press, 1994) urge radical reforms based on post-Keynesian considerations.