1953-1956 1973-1990










Hungary after the Revolt, 1956-1973


Administration . In 1956 Janos Kadar assumed both party leadership and the position of prime minister. He was regarded a moderate - in the early days of the revolution his name was suggested for the position of prime minister to appease the demonstrators. Under Janos Kadar, stability returned to Hungarian politics; he remained secretary general until 1985.

Foreign Policy . The USSR refrained from openly interfering in Hungarian politics, while Kadar made sure that Hungary did not divert from 'proper socialist policy' in Soviet understanding : when Warsaw Pact troops occupied Czechoslovakia in 1968, Hungarian troops joined them.

Political History . Seventh HSWP Congress 1959, Eighth HSWP Congress 1962, Ninth HSWP Congress 1966, Tenth HSWP Congress 1970. The Hungarian Socialist Workers Party was founded in 1956, replacing the discredited Hungarian Workers' Party (the numbering of party congresses continued). Kadar pursued a policy of political liberalization; while the HSWP maintained control of the political process, the powers of the secret police were reduced, the practice of political purges and show trials discontinued.

The Economy . First Five Year Plan 1956-1960, Second Five Years Plan 1961-1965, Third Five Years Plan 1966-1970, Fourth Five Years Plan 1971-1975.
In 1957, Hungary produced 1.95 million metric tons of wheat, in 1973 4.50 million (IHS p.278).
In regard to economic policy, Kadar was willing to experiment. A new attempt to collectivate farmland was made, this time by offering the farmers incentives rather than apply force; it succeeded. In 1964 a New Economic Policy was proclaimed, implementing deregulation. Market mechanisms were permitted to work within a set frame. The Hungarian economy grew. Hungary's economic policy was referred to as Goulash Communism.

Social History . Jan Lahmeyer gives the estimated population of Hungary in 1957 as 9.84 million, in 1973 as 10.43 million.

Cultural History . Television broadcasting began in 1957.
Hungarian football player Ferenc Puskas joined Real Madrid in 1958 and contributed to the team's victory in the European Cup in 1959 and 1960.
Hungarian athletes participated in the Summer Olympics of Melbourne 1956, Rome 1960, Tokyo 1964, Mexico City 1968 and Munich 1972. Hungarian athletes took 9 gold in Melbourne, 6 in Rome, 10 in Tokyo, 10 in Mexico City and 6 in Munich.





EXTERNAL
LINKS 		Articles People's Republic of Hungary, Elections in Hungary, Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party, Janos Kadar, Hungary at the 1960 Summer Olympics, Hungary at the 1964 Summer Olympics, Hungary at the 1968 Summer Olympics, Hungary at the 1972 Summer Olympics, Ferenc Puskas, from Wikipedia
The People's Republic, from Hungary : A Short History by C.A. Macartney (1962)
Almost half a century - my lifetime, from Hungary - A Brief History, by Istvan Lazar, 1989/1993
Hungary : The Party System in 1950-1956 and 1957-1962, in : Kenneth Janda, Political Parties : A Cross-National Survey
Hungarian Refugees in Yugoslavia in Transit to Canada, by Peter I. Hidas
DOCUMENTS Hungarian Statesmen, from World Statesmen (B. Cahoon)
Historical Population Statistics : Hungary, from Population Statistics (J. Lahmeyer)
Hungarian banknotes 1930ff, from Ron Wise's World Paper Money and from Currency Museum
REFERENCE IHS : B.R. Mitchell, International Historical Statistics. Europe 1750-1988, NY : Stockton Press 1992 [G]
Peter F. Sugar (ed.), A History of Hungary, Indiana Univ. Press 1990, 432 pp.
Chapter 23 : Satellites and Soviet Policy, pp.327-352, in : John Gunther, Inside Europe Today, NY : Harper & Bros. 1961 [G]
Article : Hungary, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1958 pp.329-330, 1959 pp.326-327, 1960 pp.325-326, 1961 pp.331-332, 1962 p.323, 1963 pp.440-441, 1964 pp.417-418, 1965 pp.412-413, 1966 pp.365-366, 1967 pp.398-399, 1968 pp.401-402, 1969 pp.394-395, 1970 pp.403-404, 1971 pp.383-384, 1972 pp.350-351, 1973 pp.348-349 [G]
Article : Hungary, in : Americana Annual 1961 pp.339-341, 1962 pp.344-345, 1963 pp.311-313, 1964 pp.309-310, 1965 pp.320-321, 1967 pp.339-340, 1968 pp.332-333, 1969 pp.342-343, 1970 pp.345-346, 1971 pp.337-338, 1972 pp.331-333, 1973 pp.339-340, 1974 pp.285-286 [G]
Article : Hungary, in : Statesman's Yearbook 1970-1971 pp.1017-1023 (data of 1969-1970) [G]
Article : Hungary, in : Funk & Wagnall's New Standard Encyclopedia Year Book 1961 pp.152-153 [G]


This page is part of World History at KMLA
First posted in 2000, last revised on May 24th 2008

Click here to go Home
Click here to go to Information about KMLA, WHKMLA, the author and webmaster
Click here to go to Statistics