Abstract
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The paper will show the changes of the Hungarian public administration during the transition, since 1990.
At the beginning of the 1990-s the collapse of the communist state in Hungary did not happen by a revolution, but the so called „round-table negitiations“ among the former reform-oriented communist elite and the newly-estabished opposition parties. This circumstance – together with the heritage of the communist late Kadar regime – affected the development of public administration during the transtition.
The new liberal democracy as opposed to the other post-communits countries, was not supported by the overwhelming majority. It was because the Kadar regime established a special way of the communism, the so called „Goulash communism“ which fairly liberalized the bureaucratic economic administration, at the same time developed the market-oriented „second economy“ in the periphery of the communist economy. The new policy took place since the end of the 1960-s emphasized the increase of wealth, so assured full employment, social houses, and the right of individuals to small business enterprises.
A great number of the population became the losers of the transitions by the mid 1990-s, and felt nostalgy for the social security of the Kadar regime. The neoliberal economic policy introduced until 2010 by the socialist-liberal governments, was blamed for the economic crises and the decreasing wealth.
Public administration established during the transition was decentralized, in which local governments had wide rights to the autonomy. System of checks and balances prevailed: Constitutional Court, ombudsman, State Audit Office, admininistrative courts, free media and civil organizations. Privatization policy of the first governments aimed to create a market-oriented economy in a short time by selling the state property.
The liberal democracy in Hungary did not succeed and it led to the quick failure of the socialist-liberal parties by the end of the 2000-s. The new government system, based on the principles of „illiberal democracy“ won for the first time in 2010. The ideology of this „majoritarian democracy“ was based on the harsh political fights between the two political sides, which made the country ungovernable. The two-thirds majority of the governing party in the Parliament empowered the goverment to monopolize the public interest, and fulfil its governmental policy fast and without limitation. According to the new „unortodox economic policy“ the government is required to shoulder the national interests against the globalist tendencies and the European Union. Implementing these goals, the goverment centralized the public administration, deprived the local governments from most of their autonomous rights and surpressed the controlling state-authorities. New constitution in accordance with these changes was passed by the Parliament. The governing political party won the elections in 2014, too, and still has sufficient support by the population.
The paper will shed light on the reasons why liberal democracy has failed in Hungary, and if illiberal democracy could create a more efficient public administration and economic governance. It will be analysed, as well, how the success of the illiberal democracy is related to the traditions of the former Kadar regime, and if it could reach a better economy and a higher wealth. Conclusion will be made if the end sacrifices the means, in other world, wheather a hoped more efficient public administration can legitimize the elimination of the checks and balances in the government system.
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