Hungarian Studies Newsletter, 1979 (7. évfolyam, 19-22. szám)

1979 / 19-20. szám

work project in a German-speaking village in south-central Hungary, he approaches the problem of ethnic identity on the micro-level. He sees the individual’s identification with the village community as the strongest variable in ethnic and language maintenance. Prestige factors, such as belief in the superior qualities of the German culture over that of the neighboring Hungarian villages, strongly reinforces separatism. However, other factors greatly counterbalance historical trends.

Gilberg in his paper on Multilingualism, Ethnic Separatism and Political Decision-Making in Socialist Romania (pp. 353- 387), after a brief historical introduction, shows how multilingualism is perceived by the present regime as a source of political instability and as a reminder of the pre-communist era. Separatism, for a while, was aided by the regime’s declared attitude toward socialist culture, which is equated to Romanian culture. The effort on the part of the government to break down Hungarian and German cultural separatism is furthered by such means as belittling their cultural achievements, by denying upward mobility totheirmembers, and by political gerrymandering.

Maday, (pp. 497-503) in commenting on Gilberg’s and Reining's papers says that “it is widely believed that the principle of one ethnic group, one language or one nation, one language reinforce cohesion, while multilingualism weakens attachment, loyalty, and conformity. In this context, the age-old contest for language maintenance and ’purity’, however conceived, is recognizable in virtually all ethnic groups, regardless of their demographic characteristics or form of government” The basic effort of every East European government is toward assimilating its minorities into a cohesive, monocultural and monolingual nation-state. None seem to believe in the strength of a pluralistic society.

Other papers of the volume include essays on the two official languages of Czechoslovakia; on Czech sociolinguistic problems; on Serbo-Croatian prescriptivism; on a lingua communis in Yugoslavia; on problems of Slovenien; and on pitfalls of sociolinguistics.

The editors are professors in the Dept, of Slavic Languages at Pennsylvania St. U.

Szántó, Miklós ed. WAYS OF LIFE; Hungarian Sociological

Studies. Budapest: Corvina Press, 1977. 404 pages, charts, tables. $4.10 paper.

Here, an eminent group of Hungarian sociologists attempts to enlighten the reader on the current way of life by studying theoretically and empirically changes in the structure of activities of people. More or less theoretical essays are presented on lifestyles in socialist societies, on qualitative elements of human life, and on guidance of conduct. Family life is treated in historical perspective, and so is social mobility. The influence of new housing developments on lifestyles, on family aspirations, and alike are based more on empirical research. The fact that problems are not very different in Hungarian society than elsewhere is shown by the essay on the influence of mass communication, especially of TV on lifestyles. The volume concludes with a chapter on “socialist way of life” written by the editor. Biographical sketches of contributors append the volume.

Volgyes, Ivan, ed„ THE PEASANTRY OF EASTERN EUROPE, Vol. I. ROOTS OF RURAL TRANSFORMATION.

BOOKS

Pergamon Press, Maxwell House, Fairview Park, Elmsford, NY 10523, 1979. 192 pages. $18.50 cloth. In the Comparative Rural Transformation Series.

The study contains nine papers, two of which deal with Hungarian related topics. According to the editor, the series will bring together in cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural manner papers concerning rural life “that do not fall into narrow categories.” This first volume deals with the historical bases of rural transformation in Eastern Europe. John Komlos’ paper on The Emancipation of the Hungarian Peasantry and Agricultural Development, argues that “the rate of growth of agricultural production was not, and could not have been, significantly affected by emancipation of the peasantry” in 1848. (See also HSN no. 15, p. 4, and p. 7 of this issue). Martin L. Kovács writes on Aspects of Hungarian Peasant Emigration from Pre-1914 Hungary. He compares the jobbágy, as a broad socioeconomic category in the age of legal feudalism, with that of the peasantry. After describing the social status of peasantry, and pointing toward the causes of emigration, Kovács describes the official and unofficial reactions to the problem, as well as the influence of returnees on the values of their immediate community. Other papers in the volume concern the “Second Serfdom” in Bohemia; the role of the Czech Agrarian Party in 1899; Bulgarian peasantry 1899-1905; Serb Peasant Party (1919- 1945); Belorussian and Ukrainian Peasants in Poland (1919- 1939); Czech peasants and the German minority (1918-1919).

The editor is Prof, of Political Science at U. of Nebraska.

Zeman, Jarold K., comp., THE HUSSITE MOVEMENT AND THE REFORMATION IN BOHEMIA, MORAVIA AND SLOVAKIA (1350-1650); A Bibliographical Study Guide with Particular Reference to Resources in North America. For the

Center for Reformation Research by Michigan Slavic Publications, 3040 Modern Language Bldg., U. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Ml 48104, 1977. $9.50 cloth.

“The Hussites supplied a prototype for the great chain of revolutions, Dutch, English, American, French, and Russian, which altered the face of Western civilization" says Leslie C. Tihanyi in the introduction. What distinguishes the development of such Reformation movements as the Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican, and Mennonite from the Hussite is that the former had continuing church bodies to preserve their heritage while the Hussites had not. That writers of Hussite history and developments have not been idle is proven by the 3853 entries in this guide. That these writings have made slow inroads into western scholarship has been due to linguistic isolation, which diminished during the 20th century. Hence, 565 entries represent English language works. Following an introduction and practical information on the use of the volume, the organization of the guide emphasizes (a) historical development, (b) biographical studies, (c) topical studies, and (d) aids to study. “At the present time, no comparable tool of Hussite studies is available in any language.”

Deák, István. THE LAWFUL REVOLUTION: Louis Kossuth and the Hungarians 1848-1849. Columbia U. Press, 136 South Broadway, Irvington, NY 10533, 1979. 446 pages, maps, illus., biblio. $16.95 cloth.

“Because of their inclination toward absolutism, Habsburg rulers often tried to ignore their coronation oath; in exchange, the (Hungarian) nation just as often resorted to passive resistance or to open rebellion. Thus the three

6

NO. 19-20, 1979, HUNGARIAN STUDIES NEWSLETTER