A Móra Ferenc Múzeum Évkönyve: Studia Historica 9. (Szeged, 2006)

MARJANUCZ László: Szociálpolitika Makón a két világháború között

LÁSZLÓ MARJANUCZ SOCIAL-POLICY IN MAKÓ BETWEEN THE TWO WORLD WARS At the end of the First World War Makó had to face the serious problem of mass poverty. The solely verbal way of solidarity was not supportive in fact, without financial sources people were unable to help others. After the war it was commonly accepted in Makó that the city was grateful to its war-heroes. Nonetheless, the citizens were unable to finance the support of war-widows, invalids and orphans; thus it was the state that had to cope up with the problem. The government set up a fund for the indigent, by assessing supporttax in towns. During the Horthy-era state support was regular for war-invalids and -widows, however, the support sum was hardly enough for living. Thus beside financial support, other social-political measures provided a living for those who were in need. The situation was even harder in the respect, that not only disabled servicemen and war-widows were in need, but also those who were employed. Therefore significant number of social groups differed from each other only in the extent, how defenceless they were in social respect. Social-political relief-programs aimed at decreasing widespread poverty. Instead of cash payment, firewood, shoes, flour and clothes were handed out to the poor, mainly during winter months. For kindergarten- and school-children free lunch was provided in the city. In order to support those who were in need, different sources were available. Beside funds set up by private individuals (e.g. Music-foundation, Fund for Abandoned Children etc.), mainly budgetary sources were at hand. These sources made it possible in Makó to build social flats. Within the so-called "state small flat" program, several hundreds of citizens in Makó were provided an own flat, mainly paid on credit. Although in many cases the lack of own resources caused problems, later on the paying of redemption, the distribution of building-plots, together with the establishing of workers' houses proved to be the most efficient initiative of local social-policy between the two world wars.