Fraternity-Testvériség, 1957 (35. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1957-07-01 / 7. szám

4

FRATERNITY

SOME STRIKING ASPECTS OF THE HUNGARIAN REVOLUTION AND ITS AFTERMATH

By Paul Nadányi

(Continuation)

For 12 years the Hungarian Communist regime strived to paralyze communications between people. The police power of the regime was only one of its main supports. The other was the fear of this power. By injecting fear into people that with whomever they come into contact in their places of work, on the streets, or even in their own home might be an informer, a secret agent, the leadership of the Communist Party was able to suppress public opinion even when tensions were coming to the surface as a result of new twists and turns in Communist ideology and policies. The Iron Curtain, banning travel abroad, censoring mail, jamming'of foreign broadcasts, has served but one aim — to make people’s feeling of isolation as complete as possible.

It is in this context that the importance of western broadcasts to Iron Curtain countries should be viewed, the contents and tone of these broadcasts determined and evaluated.

IV.

It seems to be a parodox that as soon as Hungary was reborn in the spirit of unity, political differences which in the regimented communist states were forcibly suppressed, manifested themselves anew in the revival of various political parties and the publication of newspapers and periodicals representing many shades of opinion. In the first days days of November, no less than 30 newspapers were published alone in Budapest. The Hungarian people were most eager to practice democracy which was promised but denied to them all through these years.

Political scientists examining this facet of the Hungarian revolution can find rich material, from which important lessons can be derived.

The Hungarian revolution brought the structure of the dissolved Communist Party into close view. It should not be forgotten that the party was officially dissolved in the last days of October by no other than Janos Kadar, the same Kadar who since chose to travel the identical road which once led him to see the true realities of the Communist state from a prison cell.

Not only the various methods used to build up the party and maintain the party machinery as the backbone of the regime deserves thorough examination, but also the party’s relationship with the broad masses in the give-and-take of everday life.

The Kadar regime established a “new” communist party under a different name. Fundamentally, however, this “new” and allegedly “puri-