BUDAPEST, Jan 11 (IPS) - The introduction of some of the most wide-ranging austerity measures in the recent history of Central-Eastern Europe is forcing Hungarians to endure a period of hardships, but an opposition-initiated referendum and the resistance of the middle classes are endangering the socialist government's plans.Some say the reforms are unavoidable, many completely oppose them, while others have suggested the government should have opted for a more gradual approach. "Whether we like it or not we have become a part of the capitalist system, and more than carrying out reforms, Hungary is streamlining its system and subsystems to EU standards," sociologist Janos Ladanyi told IPS. Hungary's socialist-liberal governing coalition, led by contested Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany, wants a complete overhaul of the state administration and particularly of the health and education sectors. The right-wing opposition, led by former prime minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz (Hungarian Civic Alliance) claims that what the government calls reforms is nothing but tax collection to retrieve what the socialists spent irresponsibly over the past six years.
ER... DoDo?
It's worth to note that János Ladányi is a sociologist who specialised on segregation of Roma/Gypsies, and a civil rights activist. However, even with all the social plight he witnesses, he has some of the blinders of the liberal intelligentsia on:
"The reforms are aimed at making the richer pay for extra services so that assistance can be given to the poorer," says Ladanyi. "There is a deep gap between the poor and the very poor, and they need a special service or they will die in the streets." ... "The goals of the health reform are good, but there are many terrible steps that we have to be critical about," says Ladanyi. "And in the case of the education reform even the goals are wrong: how will the closure of schools in small villages support the poorer?"
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"The goals of the health reform are good, but there are many terrible steps that we have to be critical about," says Ladanyi. "And in the case of the education reform even the goals are wrong: how will the closure of schools in small villages support the poorer?"
He suffers from the illusion thst the richer paying extra will pay for service of the very poor, rather than turn into profit, while base service will deteriorate.
Something missing from the article is the figurehead President's veto for the healthcare 'reform' bill (which was pushed through before Christmas), but that will only result in a formal check by the Constitutional Court.
For spring, I expect an especially ugly referendum campaign, with the government again (after the successful application against the double citizenship referendum) trying to achieve high abstention. I have not yet decided whether I will vote (but if I vote, I can't escape voting for what also benefits the right-populist opposition). *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
