Botos Katalin: Magyarország valóban más? : tézisek a II. világháború utáni magyar gazdaságtörténetből. In: '89 rendszerváltozások Kelet-Európában : konferenciakötet, (5). pp. 6-12. (2010)
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Abstract
Eastern European (including Hungarian) economic development reached a dead end after 1945, from which we had to return to the capitalistic model of economics. The switch cost a lot of money and energy. National products such as iron and steel were not needed after the change of the political system in 1989. Our industrial structure was antiquated. We lost our former markets due to the lack of economic policy. There were several periods of Hungarian economic history after World War II: 1956, 1968, 1981 and of course 1989-90. After 1956 the aim was to give the people an essential standard of living. Restrictions were easing. The legitimating success of the Kádár Era is based on the "special approach" in agriculture: in the junction of big parcels and crofts. It resulted in social peace, which was the goal of the politics. But on the other hand the debt of Hungary was getting bigger and bigger. It is totally related to our choosing the socialist markets. The political leaders were concentrating only on the forint: they did not think about the currency effects, which meant that the problem was much bigger in comparison with the dollar than with the rubel, the Russian currency. The growing debts took Hungary to the economic brink. The solution for recovery seemed to be joining the IMF (International Money Fund). So the centre of economic control seemed to shift to Western Europe from Moscow after 1982. The IMF urged the change of banking and tax systems. In addition the health of our workers was very poor because of excessive overworking, which resulted in a higher mortality rate among middle-aged Hungarian men in comparison with those in other countries. This situation continues to have a negative impact on our system of social insurance. Since the economic change many workers have become redundant, creating an additional burden on the social insurance system. The debt got bigger every year because of the continual and significant deficit of the budget. So the expectations of the international monetary market had a much bigger influence on our economic politics than in other countries. Around 2000 the export-oriented Asian boom made it easier for countries to get international credit. As a result, Eastern European countries increased their debts. We financed our debt by borrowing from other countries while they financed their growth through sound economic policies. In addition individual debt increased in the Hungarian population. Like in the USA, Hungarians took risky mortgages to own their own homes. All these circumstances are the source of our current financial slump. The slump threatened us with state-failure for a short but crucial time. That is why we had to turn to the IMF for credit. In this breakdown also the internal and the external grounds played a big role. Our dependence on foreign capital is the sad consequence of the false Hungarian economic policies and the rabid profit-orientation of the different governments after 1989. Privatisation was necessary but not the selling off of big portions of our infrastructure. It is causing a continuous outflow of capital. Our current economic state is the direct consequence of the politics of the Kádár Era. The same thing that made Hungary a socialist paradise prior to 1989 is now the source of our problems. We cannot make any excuses for our defencelessness any more.
Item Type: | Book Section |
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Other title: | Is Hungary really different? |
Journal or Publication Title: | '89 rendszerváltozások Kelet-Európában : konferenciakötet |
Date: | 2010 |
Volume: | 5 |
ISSN: | 1586-8036 |
Page Range: | pp. 6-12 |
Series Name: | Szakkollégiumi füzetek |
Language: | Hungarian, English |
Event Title: | Konferencia a rendszerváltozásokról (2009) (Szeged) |
Related URLs: | http://acta.bibl.u-szeged.hu/37407/ |
Uncontrolled Keywords: | Gazdaságtörténet - Magyarország - 20. sz. |
Additional Information: | Összefoglalás angol nyelven |
Subjects: | 06. Humanities 06. Humanities > 06.01. History and archaeology |
Date Deposited: | 2016. Oct. 15. 11:11 |
Last Modified: | 2022. Jan. 19. 09:54 |
URI: | http://acta.bibl.u-szeged.hu/id/eprint/5578 |
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