Hungarian Studies Newsletter, 1975 (3. évfolyam, 6-8. szám)
1975 / 6. szám
I ARTICLES (Continued from page 15) Moreau sees Ferenc Karinthy, son of the famous humorist Frigyes, as one of the more important playwrights of contemporary Hungary. Though his earlier works seem to be autobiographical, his later ones are dialogue plays in which a chance meeting between two strangers leads to self- revelation. The characters tend to be types, but force is gained by the background atmosphere of siege and the need for find ing one’s way in life’s compromises. The main theme of these works is communication, but in most cases the denoument is either bitter, or poses an unanswered question. EMB Brown, Alan A., Paul Marer and Egon Neuberger, “Prospects for U.S.-East European Trade,’’ American Economic Review LXIV 2 (May) 300-306. The forecasts on the prospects of U.S. trade with Eastern Europe vary, but policy changes will certainly affect the present picture. A large trade surplus, however, is probable. Since data are either not available or extremely variable, forecasting is difficult. In all probability, these nations could not take full advantage of “most favored nation” status until the lag in manufacturing is diminished. Tourism will continue to play an important role. EMB Pfeifer, Michael G., “The Legal Framework for American Direct Investment in Eastern Europe: Romania, Hungary, Yugoslavia,’’ Cornell International Law Journal VII (May 1974) 187-203. Socialist laws in these countries have been amended to allow for foreign equity participation in joint ventures, as these countries came to realize the need for trade with the West both to supply needed products and for foreign currency reserves. Legislation covers four general areas: powers of control; repatriation of profits; repatriation of capital; taxes. Control, with some leeway for individual contractual agreements, is generally set at a limit of 49%. The Hungarian law on the mode of profit sharing is a bit vague, and there are liabilities in addition to the taxes that a company has to meet before its share of the profit can be transferred abroad: a “reserve fund” and a “risk fund” as well as an “employees profit sharing fund.” The repatriation of capital is limited to the amount of the foreign firm’s contribution on deposit at the National Bank, except in cases of dissolution of the enterprise, when the foreign partner may transfer its entire assets after payment of debts. Hungarian tax laws seem less favorable than those of the other two countries, but this may be altered by circumstances. American legislation has to catch up to these changes before American firms can take full advantage of these new investment possibilities. Not only do restrictive measures have to be removed, but active participation also needs to be encouraged. EMB Klay, Andor “Hungarian Counterfeit Frances: A Case of Post- World War I Political Sabotage,” Slavic Review 33 (March 1974) 107-113. In 1925 Hungarians made an attempt to circulate 1.5 billion in counterfiet French franks “To embarrass the French government politically, damage it economically, yield funds for irredentist propaganda and intelligence activities, and serve the whole as a partial revenge for blows dealt by the... Treaty of Trianon.” The affair was considered by the participants a matter of patriotic duty. The attempt was uncovered at The Hague where special courier Arisztid Jankovich was arrested for attempting to change a bogus thousand franc note. The operation was tightly organized among the military, though government agencies were also involved. The conspirators came to trial in Hungary. Though convicted, the “extenuating circumstances” of no criminal intent and the patriotic purposes resulted in light sentences. Prince Windischgraetz and the police chief Captain Na'dosy received four years and heavy fines. Their appeal was denied. The lesser conspirators received proportionately more lenient sentences, which were reduced upon appeal. Bishop Zadravetz, the chief Chaplain of the army, was penalized by the church authorities but retained his pension. The Hungarian Council of Honor of General Officers, however, continued to make attempts to salvage Prince Windischgraetz’ honor; and the Bethlen Government, though not implicated, found it judicious to replace the Minister of Interior. The lawyer retained by the French Government, Dr. Paul de Auer, seems to express the attitude of the more responsible factions of the government: “When I, a Hungarian lawyer, request justice from a Hungarian court for the French Republic, I also request the French Republic for understanding in this tragic Hungarian case.” EMB Fel, Edit and Tamás Hofer “Tanyakert-s, Patron-Client Relations, and Political Factions in Átány,” American Anthropologist 75 (June 1973) pp. 787-801. The authors explore the traditional gatherings (tanyázás) of men in certain stables (tanyakert) in the Hungarian village of A'ta'ny, Heves County (population 2,500) and the nature of their membership and its social functions, particularly in the political sphere. These gatherings were the chief setting for the formation and expression of patron-client relations in the village. The historical as well as the modern aspects of the system are discussed. A detailed ethnography of Átány is the subject of a book by the same authors: Proper Peasants; Traditional Life in a Hungarian Village. Chicago: Aldine, 1969. Ferge, Susan. “On Ways of Life in Hungary." Sociology and Social Research 57 (January 1973) pp. 222-235. The article assesses the differences existing among various strata of Hungarian society, pointing out some of the distinctions between the better educated or professional classes and the less favorably placed ones. In housing, the chief difference is in the quality, not in the quantity. In consumption, some groups still spend all of their resources to procure the necessities, and the quality of food may not be very high, though extremes of poverty and luxury no longer exist. In the division of time, there is no longer a leisure class, so all have relatively little free time, the average being 2-3 hours daily. Nevertheless, in the development of aspirations toward a more sophisticated way of life, more variety and more concern for health, the more prosperous classes lead. In addition, these groups are more concerned with aesthetic symbols, the arts and status items, or luxuries. These differences and social stratification in general are seen by Ferge as threat to the socialist system. EMB (Continued on page 17) 16 No.6, 1975 HUNGARIAN STUDIES NEWSLETTER
