History of Hungary

This is the history of Hungary. See also the history of Europe, the history of present-day nations and states, Hungary before the Magyars, and Hungary.

Changes under Kádár

First Kádár led a wild terror against revolutioners. 21 600 mavericks (democrats, liberals, communists alike) have been imprisoned, 13 000 been interned, and 400 killed. But in the early 1960s, Kádár announced a new policy under the motto of "He who is not against us is with us." (he changed Rákosi's quote 'He who is not with us is against us'). He declared a general amnesty, gradually curbed some of the excesses of the secret police, and introduced a relatively liberal cultural and economic course aimed at overcoming the post-1956 hostility toward him and his regime. In 1966, the Central Committee approved the "New Economic Mechanism," through which it sought to rehaul the economy, increase productivity, make Hungary more competitive in world markets, and create prosperity to ensure political stability. Over the next two decades of relative domestic quiet, Kádár's government responded to pressure for political and economic reform and to counter pressures from reform opponents, By the early 1980s, it had achieved some lasting economic reforms and limited political liberalization and pursued a foreign policy which encouraged more trade with the West. Nevertheless, the New Economic Mechanism led to mounting foreign debt incurred to shore up unprofitable industries.

Related Topics:
1960s - 1956 - 1966 - 1980s

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~