Hungarian Studies Newsletter, 1974 (2. évfolyam, 3-5. szám)

1974 / 3. szám

ARTICLES AND PAPERS

Balassa, Bela. “The Firm in the New Economic Mechanism in Hungary." Chapter 10 in PLAN AND MARKET: ECONOMIC REFORM IN EASTERN EUROPE. Edited by Morris Bornstein. New Haven: Yale U. Press, 1973, pp. 347-372.

The paper considers the role of the firm in the New Economic Mechanism. First, it examines the process of short-term decision-making, the extent of domestic competition, and the limitations on the firm’s activities. This is followed by a discussion of the process of long-term decision making, including investments financed by the firm itself, by the banking system, and by the state. Further consideration is given to export incentives, and the choice between exporting and producing for the domestic market. Finally, the major achievements of the New Economic Mechanism are described, and some of the problems and difficulties observable since its inception are discussed. Balassa likens the Hungarian reform to the Lange-Lerner model of market socialism, which would ensure efficient resource allocation through the competition of socialist firms. He notes, however, that the Lange-Lerner model is that of a closed economy, while foreign trade plays an important role in Hungary, and price setting is increasingly left to market forces. Balassa concludes with an evaluation of achievements and finds that although the balance sheet of the NEM is basically positive, further alterations will most probably be necessary.

Eddie, M. Scott, presented a paper “Industrialization and the Export of Manufactured Products from Hungary during the Protectionist Period (1882-1913)” at a conference in Jablonna, Poland, in August 1973. The conference was jointly sponsored by the Polish Academy of Sciences and the International Cooperation in History of Technology Committee on the theme “Industrialization and Modern Technology in the Agrarian Countries of Central and Southern Europe, 1850-1918. The papers of the conference are to be published in Vo. III. of the Actes du Troisieme Colloque do I’ICOHTEC.

Fischer, Victor, Jr. "The effects of childhood bilingualism on the educational achjevement of urban Hungarian- American children in junior high school." Papersubmitted to the School of Education, City College of the City U. of New York, May 1971. 53 pages. Mimeo.

The purpose of the empirical study was the investigation of the educational achievement of urban Hungarian-American junior high school children who have been raised in the Hungarian language since infancy. Comparison was drawn between a group which at home was usually Hungarian

I.D.R.C. (Continued from page 5)

the evaluation and standardization of each entry. Through documented adjustments and identifying non-standard East European reporting procedures, a statistical comparability has been achieved both among East European countries and also between East Europe and the rest of the world. The data system has been set up to incorporate continuously up-todate information on trade flows, including details of East- West trade.

Aggregate data from the Data Bank has been published under the title, Soviet and East European Foreign Trade (1946-1969); Statistical Compendium and Guide. See review in HSN no. 2.

speaking and another which was usually English speaking. Fischer found that there was no significant difference between the two groups with regard to educational achievement. Although the usually English speaking group scored slightly higher than the usually Hungarian speaking group, this slight difference may have been due to biological differences in intelligence and to some cultural factors such as the learning climate in the home and to exposition from bilingualism per se must be differentiated from bilingual environmental influences, which warrant further research.

György, Andrew, “The Nationalist Counter-Revolution in Hungary in 1956.” In Studies on the Soviet Union, Vol. XL, No. 4 (1971), pages 549-558. (No. 44 in the Reprint Series of the Institute for Sino-Soviet Studies, George Washington U., Washington, D.C.)

The author, who is Prof, of International Affairs at the George Washington U., uses the terms “revolution” and “counter-revolution” interchangeably. He tries to answer the question “what external and internal factors helped to set in motion the Hungarian revolution of 1956?” On the external scene he emphasizes the “New Course," Khrushchev’s speech at the 20th Congress of the CPSU, events occuring in Poland, and the general posture of the communist parties of Western Europe. The internal causes given include an unpopular regime, oppressive policies, low quality of life, and growing literary ferment. György then analyses the causes of Soviet victory, interrelating events of Hungary in 1956 and of Czechoslovakia in 1968.

Kapótsy, Bela. “The Demographic Effects of Legal Abortion in Eastern Europe,” in European Demographic Information Bulletin (The Hague) Vol. Ill, No. 4., (1972), pages 193-207.

The author, who is Associate Professor at Hunter College, describes various demographic aspects of legal abortion. Nine tables present comparative data on vital statistics, abortions and live births, vital rates, percent change in working age populations, and premature births in Eastern Europe. Two tables present exclusively Hungarian data. One on total births, number, rate and ratio of legal abortions and vital rates in 1950 and 1954-1971, the other on percentage distribution of live births and infant mortality by birth weights, and the ratio of premature births to live births, between 1950 and 1968. The author concludes that as a consequence of legal abortions populations might begin to decline in East Germany, Hungary (1985), and Czechoslovakia (1995). He also shares the view of a Scandinavian research group that “pressure for total abortion at request should be resisted as an undesirable goal.”

Sólyom-Fekete, William, The Constitution of the Hungarian People’s Republic. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress, 1973. 21 pages, n.p. (First publication in the Law Library Research Reports series.)

The pamphlet presents side by side the original Hungarian text of the new Constitution of the Hungarian People’s Republic and its English translation prepared by the author who is a Senior Legal Specialist of the European Law Division. The introduction gives a brief history of the development of the 1949 Constitution which has been basically changed in form and substance by amendments, finally culminating in this document, known as Law No. 1. of 1972.

For copies write to Office of the Law Librarian of Congress, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540.

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NO. 3, 1974, HUNGARIAN STUDIES NEWSLETTER