Horváth J. András: A megigényelt világváros. Budapest hatósága és lakossága a városegyesítés éveiben - Disszertációk Budapest Főváros Levéltárából 2. (Budapest, 2010)
Summary
intensively involved around the city’s social tasks. It is fascinating that Gneist proposed this during a period of predominant rough capitalistic interests. It was a chance, on the one hand, for old privileged burghers to sustain their behavioural reflexes and on the other it was a possibility for social integration for newly elected aldermen. Andrássy’s and subsequent Governments’ main ambition was to establish a national centre in order to: 1. create a counterbalance against Vienna’s appeal; 2. found a bridge-head which could play an integrative role opposed to the many appealing points throughout the country. This comprehensive and determined subject designation was fundamental in shaping the local physionomy of Pest and Buda social characteristics. The national capital concept reanimated the former praxis of obsolete local interests. The two cities became fundamental tools in asserting broad national interests. The new capital as an „open city” in social policy was subordinated to this necessity. That locality thus got special characteristics as a new form of habitation along with other European capitals. Serious autonomist initiations against this process were missing either from Pest or from Buda. The aldermen generally formulated their demands on the horizon of this metropolis-concept, subordinating their primer urban experiments. The local sources had serious shortages to validate national demands and aspects. Capital urban politics represented consequently the impression of a pretentious and wasteful public body disturbing the state persistantly. With respect to the fact that aldermen strongly identified themselves to „supralocal” attitude of capital politics, discourse with government was not stressful to validate some old, narrowminded local policy. On the opposite, they were considered as aspirations to find most ideal ways regarding broad national interests. Manifestations on different city forums were significant but many times forgot evidences of the period broad Budapest-narrative. This intensive activity on the mban scene and the ambition to fulfil a civilizatoric mission can be regarded as typical for that period. A certain kind of „closing up neurosis” was tuning cords of local politics. Budapest was primarily subject to sensual perception, rather than a habitual frame of social needs shaped in everyday praxis. Basic aspirations were to duplicate Western Civilization cult-objects and to assimilate general urban substance. Interpellations aimed in getting good impression on capital and several 464
