Formování politických elit v Maďarsku od 80. let do druhé poloviny 90. let
Formation of political elites in Hungary from the 1980s to the second half of the 1990s

Summary/Abstract: This study deals with elite formation in Hungary from 1980s until second half of 1990s. This process has been largely effect by dramatic changes that occurred in Central Europe in this period. Despite of the fact that collapse of communism brought number of similarities in countries like Hungary, Poland or Czechoslovakia, Hungarian development represented also number of unique features. First of all, Hungarian communist party was the only one in whole communist block, which was perceived in the west as capable for democratization. This scenario didn’t occur due to concentration of the communist party on inner struggle between reformers and hardliners. It led to oversight of appearance and growing of democratic opposition. Opposition in had more space for maneuvering than in any other country of the region. Thus the future democratic elite had deeper roots in Hungary, but also there was more differentiation in political sense. Another contrast is in the fact of earlier formation of party system. This process can be seen only after first democratic elections in case of Poland or Czechoslovakia. Nevertheless, it didn’t exclude former communist elite from participation on political elite formation in democratic era. Especially reformers, economic leadership of Kádár’s era particularly, belong to democratic period elite. Total collapse of the communist party between October 1989 and March 1990 in fact forced reformers to tie their future with new parties or replacement of previous political influence by economic one. Post 1990 elite grew out of free groups operating in previous regime: 1. late Kádár’s technocrats; 2. Anticommunist opposition operating out of established structures of the regime; 3. intellectuals and opposition from within official structures. This heterogeneous group cooperated quite well until complete failure of communism, but cooperation turned into concurrence. Following the pattern of other countries in transformation, keeping higher level of popular support became one of the most difficult task of emerging political elite. Hungarian population became quite critical about new elite also due to fact when most of new political parties missed stronger social basis outside Budapest. Acceptation of democratic values by all agents of emerging elite became crucial for Hungary which didn’t face reversal movement towards authoritarian regime like in case of Slovakia, and especially in Byelorussia. Hungary followed rather Polish, Slovene or Czech paths. Circulation of political elite is another symptomatic feature for Hungarian situation. This tendency had been confirmed when Horn’s administration replaced Antall’s right-centrist administration after 1994 general election. Former foreign minister of late communist era proved transformation of Hungarian communists towards modern left, and socialist government questioned neither democracy as such nor transformation of the country.

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