Gertrude Enderle-Burcel, Dieter Stiefel, Alice Teichova (Hrsg.): Sonderband 9. „Zarte Bande” – Österreich und die europäischen planwirtschaftlichen Länder / „Delicate Relationships” – Austria and Europe’s Planned Economies (2006)
Ágnes Pogány: The Changing Image of the Economie Role of Austria in Hungarian Public Discourse
Agnes Pogâny The two theoretical metaphors describe the historical dimensions of the two countries in completely different ways. The change in the usage of the metaphors cannot be considered random; it was connected with the changes in the actual relations between Austria and Hungary after 1945. In my paper, I would like to present these two metaphors that played an important role in defining the perception of the relations between the two neighbouring countries and which help to explain the radical changes of this connection. The reorganisation of Hungary’s foreign trade relations had started already after the Second World War but it took a radical turn in 1947—48. Until the beginning of 1948 Hungary tried to strengthen her economic relations with the neighbouring small countries (e. g. plans of a customs union with Austria and Czechoslovakia). However, these plans did not get the approval of the Soviet Union. The ideas concerning economic co-operation between the smaller European states were clearly rejected by the editorial of Pravda of 21 January 1948 and were dropped from the agenda.2 After the establishment of the COMECON, the East-European countries began to follow the model of autarchy on a COMECON, or mostly on a national level. This strategy opposed close connections with Western states and showed hostility against economic influences from the developed capitalist countries (e. g. rejection of Marshall Aid). This attitude could be connected with the Colony-Metaphor that considered self-sufficiency and economic independence as preconditions of economic development. Hungary as the Colony-of-Austria Metaphor The Colony-Metaphor appears at the end of the 18th century. In that period, enlightened economists of the Hungarian nobility objected to the dual customs system of the Habsburg Empire and called it colonial. They accused the Imperial Court of Vienna of Germanization and subordination of the Hungarian economy to the Austrian one.3 The Colony-Metaphor was popular in the 19th and 20th centuries as well. During dualism the so-called constitutional opposition in the Hungarian parliament used it frequently to support their views concerning the political and economic independence of Hungary. The metaphor remained popular also in the first half of the 20th century.4 2 Petö, Ivan - Szakâcs, Sândor: A hazai gazdasâg négy évtizedének tôrténete 1945-1985. I. (Forty Years of the Domestic Economy 1945-1985). Budapest 1985. p. 92-94. 3 Kalmâr, Jànos: A Kollonich-féle Einrichtungswerk és a XVIII. szâzadi bânsâgi berendezkedés. (The Einrichtungswerk of Kollonich and the Arrangement in the Banats in the 18th Century). In: Szàzadok, 125 (1991) Nb. 5-6. p. 489-499. here 494. 4 Eckhart, Ferenc: A bécsi udvar gazdasàgi politikâja Magyarorszâgon Maria Terézia korâban. (Economic Policy of the Vienna Court in the period of Maria Theresa). Budapest, 1922. p. 252- 275. 226
