European Tribune

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Interesting. I thought that this anti-reform demagoguery is a Hungarian speciality (from 1985 onwards). Try to brainwash the society with "reform". It is a jolly good neutral term.  
by Dr Minorka on Mon Jun 2nd, 2008 at 09:29:47 AM EST
Hungary was on the IMF lifeline already in the eighties. Already in the seventies, the Party sent young cadres to study monetarist economics abroad (Medgyessy, Németh), others learnt that at home in the Ministry but got 'practice' in Western banks just after the Changes (including Matolcsy, Járai). So the local usage of "reforms" is very much the result of the global neoliberal push.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.
by DoDo on Mon Jun 2nd, 2008 at 10:23:39 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Sadly, that abuse of the word "reform" seeems to be quite widespread around Europe and elsewhere, and it is one of the topics that European Tribune focuses on - the change in the meaning of words like this one (such as "freedom", "growth", etc...) driven by ideologues and invading public discourse via a passive or complicit media.

We'd certainly be interested to hear more about examples from Hungary or other countries you know.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (jeromeguillet@yahoo.fr) on Mon Jun 2nd, 2008 at 10:24:48 AM EST
[ Parent ]
I'm beginning to think we need to adopt this language, though...reform is quite a strong word in our world today. People want a change, and reform, as a word, expresses that change quite powerfully.

And it doesn't necessarily require that the content of the word be neo-liberal in substance.

In fact, in the face of resource scarcity, global climate change, and coming demographic challenges, there is no other way to address mankind's future than with socialism, to expropriate another powerful meme.

And what is socialism, in today's world, if not a fundamental reform of our present inefficient, unjust, inegalitarian and increasingly inhumane social organization?

The mantle of reform affirms that we look forward, not backward, which is why the mantle of reform is one which, objectively, will fit us more than it does the neo-liberals, who essentially want to send us back to the 19th century social organization once again.

by redstar on Mon Jun 2nd, 2008 at 04:13:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

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