1987. november (125-143. szám) / HU_BFL_XIV_47_2
I fll 24/D Little Ruisell Street, LONDON, W.C.L -Te/. 04-450 2< 2« • G. Rr<assé 141/1987 (e) November 28th, 1987. Reform and Democracy After three d©cades of every method being employed to prohibit social problems from being mentioned a név political culture is beginning to develop in Hungary. Courageous debates went on continuously and subjects were given publicity i,n cultural life vhich had nőt been permitted before. Recently István Csurka’s play entitled Vizsgák es fegyelmik (Exams and Detentions) vas staged in the Pest Theatre after it vas benned Just tvo years ago. In the play the management, jury and panel of a symbolic talent shov quiz introduce the deformed vorld of those vho exercise pover, their attendants and subordinates in Hungary. On December 4th the Democratic Fórum vhich vas established at the Populist vriters conference in Lakitelek vili organise a poetry evening of Sándor Lezsak’s vork at the Sándor Petőfi Society, vhich safeguards tradition and is of a social political natúré, in Szentendre. Recently ecologists - although their circle is nőt permitted by the authorities. - met at the Bajcsy-Zsilinszlcy Circle to discuss their future activities. A lecture vili alsó be given in the Lav Faculty in Menesi Street and a debate vili be organized on their successes and failures up until nov. On November 30th at the 405 club in the Polytechnic Ferenc Miszlivetz, a sociologist, vili consider the prospects of altemative social move- ments. Hovever the most important development, taking intő account its possible consequences, is the increase of such debates and programme proposals that completely reject the basic principles of party ideology and the vhole practice of the communist ruling apparátus. A statement such as this has only been made before by the radical representatives of the Democratic Opposition. The party has nov alsó began to disintergrate. Mihály Bihari, a sociologist and teacher at the Lav Faculty - vho vas one of the one hundred signatories vho sent an open letter to parli- mentary representatives in September - already emphasised at the Lakitelek Conference that no proper solution to the "totál erisis in Hungárián society" has been found. In recent veeks Bihari has made his ovn proposals in several places, in the party academy in Budapest and on November 26th, Free Party Day, in the Ferenc Munnich college of the Polytechnic. His outspoken lecture, paying no heed to taboos vhich have lasted fór decades, vas folloved everyvhere by several hours of incisive debate. Bihari has alsó published his programme entitled "Reform and Democracy" in a 170 page mimeographic publication of numbered copies. The sub-title of the study is "Diagnosis and Therapy". Bihari states that the party vhich has been in pover fór 40 years has nőt adhered to principles fór a long time bút is beset by convulsive fears and that its policies are hysterical, suspicious and inconsistent. It is nőt the master bút the servant of its ovn system and its fears generate viol- ence. It attempts to cling on to its pover until the end although its political system is out of date. The reason fór its morál bankruptey is the bolshevik style organisation of the party, the bid fór absolute pover and the repression of democracy both vithin the party and out- side it. 'Bihari said that the Bolshevik party came to pover in an jla
