1988. december (307-326. szám) / HU_BFL_XIV_47_2

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Editor: György Krassó • 24/D Little Russell Street * London, WC1A 2HN » Tel. íl-430 2126 (írom abroad 441-430 2126)

326/1988 (E) 31st December, 1988

What Happened in 1988?

There is an old Hungárián joke in which two dogs meet at the Polish-East Germán bordér, the Germán dog aays to the Polish dog "Why do you want to defect?" - "I vould like to eat meat", he replies. "And you?" - "Me? Well I vould like to bárki".

Ten years ago the Hungárián situation was similar to the East-German bút since

then it has changed and now our situation is that of the Polish dog. In 1988

this state of affairs peaked, it was possible to bark bút there was no meat. To be more exact meat is available bút a workers wage does nőt buy much.

The dream has ended, after decades of self-adulation the authorities have been

forced to admit that there is an economic crisis bút they have passed the buck

to the workers. The country’s foreign debt has reached nearly 20 billión dollárs and it is finding it increasingly diffieult to get credit. The prices of con- sumer goods have been raised many times this year, sometimes by more than 100%.

Tens of thousands of workers found themselves on the street, there was an in- crease in unemployment which has always been denied in the pást. The new income tax reduced wages despite promises of "grossing" and prices were raised by the introduction of a value-added tax. Economic reform measures have been in- consistent and ineffective: the big industrial lobbies which represent deficit companies were able to vindicate their interests and the competitiveness of Hungárián products on the world markét did nőt improve. As a resült of the new budget reductions the situation of housing, public health, culture and education became even more hopeless.

What did the Hungárián worker get in compensation? Nőt muchí Those who have money can set up a small company, buy shares and travel. Bút all the worker can do is leam that in Hungary, whether socialist or nőt, money talks and dogs bark.

People can stűibeimprisoned fór being a so-called public threat, causing incitement or treachery bút the reál situation has changed dramatically. The Western press have written about an alleged Hungárián economic miracle fór decades now they write of a political miracle.

After many decades society’s despair has released the génié from the bottle, it has alsó been helped by Gorbachov’s reform policies, the notion that Hungary must behave well in order to récéivé Western credit, Grósz’s ambition to make Kadar responsible fór the situation and the old communist strategy of grasping power during periods of chaos. Grósz, even if he allowed the génié to be released, was nőt able to bottle it back up again after he had gained power. He promised to re- store order and raise his aides to leading positions, the latter has been achieved bút nőt the former. All stratas of society demand change. Nearly 200 independent organisations are now in operation, old parties have been re-formed without per- mission, reál unions have been established and the press, rádió and television are freer. The party in order to assert itself has taken refuge in Parliament many times bút the nation only demanded democratic elections. People speak more and more about 1956 and the manifesto of the revolution. The political leadership is divi- ded: it does nőt know whether to make allowances or to use violence. It has built up a powerful, well equipped police force bút it does nőt dare use it. Grósz’s previous faithful followers (veterán hardliners) do nőt trust him neither does the Soviet Party leadership. Imre Pozsgay and the reformista in the Party unité against him with the alternative groupings. Surely the miracle is nőt that we are organising bút rather that we accepted fór decades that they could take away our natural rights.

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