It’s 2006; fifty years after Hungary’s anti-communist freedom fighters sought to throw off the yoke of oppression in 1956 by taking to the streets. Amazingly, the current day Hungarians have continued to elect those same (now, former) communists to hold high office. Those who fail to learn from history…
In a stunning media leak, the entire nation of Hungary got to hear a recorded conversation which Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány (the equivalent Adrian Nastase as former-communist leader of the current Socialist Party) had with his corrupt socialist buddies wherein they discussed the various details of how they’ve lied repeatedly during past elections in order to win office.
Now, many Hungarians have previously asserted this was true, but only in the context of the underhand softball of political rhetoric. What this leaked confession represents is incontrovertible evidence to every Hungarian who might have thought the government was legitimate. Like the Romanian PSD, they engage in utter hogwash and smokescreen as part of their whatever-works approach to retaining power over the people.
“We lied in the morning. We lied in the evening,” he said. “Hungarians want to live like those in the west, but they are unwilling to adopt the western norms.”
“We made people believe that they have nothing to do, that we will give them happiness as a gift.”
Hungary is running the EU’s highest budget deficit and on September 1 submitted a tough austerity package aimed at bringing Budpaest in line with Brussels fiscal rules that underpin the euro.
What’s curious is when one applies a scholarly analysis to the contents of the tape, one might notice there are actually several positive aspects to the leak in that the Socialists really trot out the pomp and circumstance… beating the drums of confidence, strength, and true reform. A hail mary. It is possible to theorize this leak was intentionally acted out to influence the populace into rallying around the reinvigorated and newly-honest power brokers in the hallowed halls. Could it be true?
It’s an interesting idea. And one which analysts of Hungarian politics believe may very well have been exactly that: propoganda, directly from Page 1 of the classic communist playbook, designed to reinforce The Great Leader. Only it appears to have backfired.
My gut reaction is to think that the PM was probably having an honest conversation with his drones. He probably did beat them over the head with a speech about how their past lies and cheating have put them in a position where they really need to dig in and work hard to keep Hungary from economic collapse. A sort of inspirational lockeroom berating by a panicky coach during a hopeless halftime.
There is not much choice. There is not, because we have screwed up. Not a little but a lot. No country in Europe has screwed up as much as we have. It can be explained. We have obviously lied throughout the past 18 to 24 months. It was perfectly clear that what we were saying was not true.
We are beyond the country’s possibilities to such an extent that we could not conceive earlier that a joint government of the Socialists and the liberals would ever do. And in the meantime we did not actually do anything for four years. Nothing.
You cannot mention any significant government measures that we can be proud of, apart from the fact that in the end we managed to get governance out of the shit. Nothing. If we have to give an account to the country of what we have done in four years, what are we going to say?
I suspect it was probably a ‘real’ speech given to his lieutenants during a moment of supposed privacy. But someone leaked it, for the expressed purpose of deposing Gyurcsány. Not for any benevolent purpose. Just a raw backstab.
Who stands to gain? If the current Prime Minister were to resign, then the other ex-commies of the Socialist Party can slap all negativity on his scapegoated caricature while they themselves climb a little higher up the rungs. Afterall, someone’s gotta take the fall for the political party’s past psychopathy.
Hungarians are righteously pissed off. Last night, thousands took to the streets and exercised their collective muscle in a riot. Smashing buildings, lighting cars on fire. The people took over the state television station (akin to TVR) and then set it on fire, as a protest to eradicate the official apparatus of socialist lies. Police decked out in riot gear firing off tear gas grenades and blasting citizens with water cannons called for thousands of reinforcements and stormed the station to retake control. Classic stuff.
Sure, we can pause to all agree that riots are horrific means of demonstration, but I wouldn’t be alone in saying there are times when riots are a completely legitimate form of civil protest. Look back on history, most nations have “great events” involving riots. Even detractors must note that a riot does not quite reach the level of armed insurrection.
Hungarian law enforcement was obligated, of course, to protect the non-communist communists currently in power and lead a crackdown against the people. Apparently, 200 persons were injured as a result of clashes with police during the political protests calling for the immediate resignation of the lying prime minister. The Justice Minister has offered his resignation, but his cronies have — so far — asked him to stay.
Will there be a repeat? Will the Hungarian people come out again tonight to offer serious challenge to their government in one of the few forms left when faced with egregiously tyrannical overlords? You can bet the former-communists are better prepared for such an event. No doubt there will be a palpable tension amongst riot police as evening sets in.
Meanwhile, today, the anti-government protests continue as several hundred people are once again gathering in the capital this afternoon in what is currently a very peaceful, flag-waving vigil where participants want to see the former-communist socialist leaders step down from their positions in light of their admitted lies. Only a corrupt, powerhungry oligarchy would admit to a repeated pattern of sociopathic behavior and then insist on remaining in office despite the lies.
It’s dishonorable.
Not that honor means anything to a non-communist communist.
Stayed tuned for the next episode when scared politicans in Hungary stumble over one another in a rush to sacrifice a patsy or two in order to quelch the burning embers of most citizens, thus supplanting support for any further action and keeping their mafia squarely in control. Cha-ching. Yeehaw.
UPDATE: Sep 24
The violence of riots quieted down after a couple of night. Happily, the peaceful protests continue with crowds estimated well over 10,000 each night. Speculation, by some, is that the protests may reach as high as 20,000 people Saturday (tonight). I’m glad to see the pressure continue on Gyurcsany. In a symbolic gesture, he has suddenly decided to move his former-communist Socialist Party headquarters out of its historic location in a particular building that’s housed the communist party for decades… and into a new location to help create an air of change. However, the people seem to still want him to own up to his years of dishonorable lies and years of failed leadership by resigning. The buck stops here, Feri.
