In a parliamentary government system the main power is determined by elections. In Hungary, we well experienced five election cycles. Wiener examines how and how deeply electoral behaviour reflects class status, tradition, family networks, religion, moral stand and several other factors and how tendencies developed. He also questions whether established methods and analytical tools really fit to analyse and measure electoral behaviour.

The article sums up empirical research made in 2007 and 2008 focusing on the personality and socialisation patterns of young activists living in the Budapest area, who are engaged in NGOs that follow political goals of left/green or extreme right.

For those well over 40 living in Hungary, the principle of self-critique is associated with the established practice of an earlier period in the labour movement although overwhelmingly of ambiguous value, because of extremism. Contrary, as Mészáros sees, it is the deep philosophical problem of the communal society and production – reflecting immanent essence.

The original article was published in Monthly Review in April 2008.

A multipolar world must prepare for a relative decline in US power and the turbulence that may follow.

The original article was published in YaleGlobal online , July 10, 2008.

Joachim Becker – Rudy Weissenbacher (ed.): Dollarization, Euroization and Financial Instability: Central and Eastern European Countries Between Stagnation and Financial Crisis? Marburg, 2007, Metropolis.