Hungarian Soviet Republic

The Hungarian Soviet Republic was the political regime in Hungary from March 21, 1919 until the beginning of August of the same year, and it is the second Communist (or soviet) government in world history, after the one in Russia (1917).

Communist policies

Following the model laid out by Lenin, Kun - the Commissar for Foreign Affairs, which was in effect the most powerful position in the country - created a government called Revolutionary Governing Council, which proclaimed the Hungarian Soviet Republic and dismissed President Károlyi on March 21. Initially, this government consisted of a Socialist-Communist coalition led by Sándor Garbai, but the Communists leaped into action and managed to dismiss the Socialist ministers within days. Afterwards, the new Communist government decreed the abolition of aristocratic titles and privileges, the separation of church and state, and guaranteed the freedom of speech and assembly, free education, language and cultural rights to minorities.

Related Topics:
Lenin - March 21 - Sándor Garbai

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The Communist government also nationalized industrial and commercial enterprises, and socialized housing, transport, banking, medicine, cultural institutions, and all landholdings of more than 40 hectares. While undertaking these domestic measures, Kun also kept in mind the fact that his communists were heavily dependent on popular support for his foreign policy of restoring Hungary's borders.

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In a radio dispatch to Soviet Russia, Kun informed Lenin that a "dictatorship of the proletariat" had been established in Hungary and asked for a treaty of alliance with Soviet Russia, to defend against the inevitable hostile reaction from the Entente. Soviet Russia was willing, but unable to lend a helping hand to the fledgling Hungarian republic, because it was itself tied down in the Russian Civil War. The Hungarian government was thus left on its own, and a Red Guard was established under the command of Mátyás Rákosi. In addition, a group of 200 armed men - known as the "Lenin Boys" - formed a mobile detachment under the leadership of Cserny József. This detachment was deployed at various locations around the country where counter-revolutionary movements were suspected to operate. The Lenin Boys, as well as other similar groups and agitators, refused to follow traditional religious customs (for example, they blasphemed openly), even when they traveled to areas of the countryside that were traditionally conservative and highly religious. This caused a number of conflicts with the local population, some of which turned violent.

Related Topics:
Soviet Russia - Dictatorship of the proletariat - Entente - Russian Civil War - Mátyás Rákosi - Counter-revolutionary - Blasphemed

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