One of my big concerns is the rise of fascism. I think that's justified for two reasons; the first is what fascism is and represents and the second is that fascism is at risk of reappearing in Europe.
In this context I missed this article in The New Statesman nearly a fortnight ago, but refer to it unashamedly now, and to what it has to say about Hungary:
It is now a fact: Hungary is no longer a democracy.
President János Ãder has just signed the implementation decrees for new constitutional reforms that wipe out what was left of opposition forces against the government.
More particularly, the Constitutional Court is no longer allowed to give its opinion about the content of laws and to refer to its own case-law — which results in the loss of almost all monitoring power on the legislature and the executive.
This meticulous destruction of democracy and its values — whose starting point was the landslide election of Fidesz in 2010 — has taken place over months and months, under everybody's eyes.
The attack was clear and continuous: crippling restriction of the freedom of the press, political direction of the Central Bank, inclusion in the Constitution of Christian religious references and of the "social utility" of individuals as a necessary condition for the enforcement of social rights, deletion of the word "Republic" in the same Constitution to define the country's political system, condemnation of homosexuality, criminalisation of the homeless, attacks against women's rights, impunity afforded to perpetrators of racist murders, the strengthening of a virulent anti-Semitism . . .
Only a few days ago, prime minister Viktor Orban officially decorated three extreme right-wing leading figures: journalist Ferenc Szaniszlo, known for his diatribes against the Jews and the Roma people, who he compares to "monkeys"; anti-Semitic archaeologist Kornel Bakav, who blames the Jews for having organized the slave trade in the Middle-Age; finally, "artist" Petras Janos, who proudly claims his proximity to the Jobbik and its paramilitary militia, responsible for several racist murders of Romani people and heiress of the pro-Nazi Arrow Cross Party, that organised the extermination of Jews and Gypsies during the Second World War.
That already looks like a fascist state within the heart of the EU to me.
There is a petition to voice protest on this issue. Might I suggest you consider signing it? Previous generations fought over it, after all. We don't want to have to do the same.
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“crippling restriction of the freedom of the press”
At what point does “statutory underpinning” become restriction of freedom of the press?
The question is so crass it does not need answering
perhaps you can’t answer it. Surely that is the point!
I often disagree with you but not about this. The developments in Hungary over the last few years are very disturbing. The current ruling party (Fidesz) started off as a classical liberal youth party but then quite abruptly turned into a populist nationalist party (many of its original leaders left in disgust). Unfortunately this shift has proved to be electorally successful and now the rising party are the Jobbik party referred to in the extract who are out and out Nazis.
This is a superb, well-researched piece, which I wholeheartedly agree with. Knowing Hungary as I do I would say your words are a truthful warning.
No I’m sorry. You start to regulate – which means control – the press and you’re heading down the road to fascism.
And unless you have lived through fascism, which I did in Zimbabwe, seen where the road can take you and seen how the incremental removal of press freedom is fundamental to fascism, then you are simply not in a position even to know what is crass and what is not.
P.S. All useful definitions of fascism include an intolerance of disagreement.
A free press is only possible when supported by the law
That is how it is delivered
Nothing else does
The press already IS controlled… mainly by a bunch of right-wing oligarchs. What’s better, control by democratic processes or control by people like Rupert Murdoch? p.s. all useful definitions of fascism include the removal of democracy and a one-party state.
Very scary stuff… One has to wonder, is this a forewarning of what the Tories have in store for us should David Cameron secure an overall majority in 2015? Because the UK has even less in terms of constitutional safeguards to stop this kind of thing happening than does Hungary… Fidesz at least needed a 2/3rds majority to get all this stuff through the Hungarian parliament but at Westminster, a government that was minded to destroy democracy could do it on a simple majority vote.
Howard, I couldn’t agree more. A lot of people seem to object to any comparison between what is happening in this country with what happened in Germany in the 30’s because we haven’t yet reached the extremes of the Nazis. But when a government actively promotes the demonisation of the disabled and the poor, just as the Nazis did, is it not time to reflect on where that approach has led in the past?
@Howard and Nick – NEVER forget, after the November 1932 Federal Elections, the Nazis were the largest Party in a hung Reichstag, garnering 33% of the vote and 196 seats out of 584 (or , with the Social Democratic Party of Germany coming second, gaining 121 seats, with 20.43% of the vote.
Two observations:
1) The 1932 German vote was proportional, so that numbers of seats and size of vote tallied. To those who say this proves the weakness of PR, in that it lets in Fascists, I offer Goering’s view on the result: he said, that if Germany had operated a UK style FPTP, the Nazis would have taken EVERY seat.
For a proper PR system in 2010 in the UK would have seen more plural voices in our current Parliament, and might have prevented the current, baleful Coalition from being formed, producing instead a Red/Green/genuinely Liberal (and not orange book Liberal) coalition, more in tune with the wishes of the electorate. So, PR and REAL PR, not the pseudo-PR system of AV, which only ensures that each elected member has at least 50% of the votes, while totally ignoring the overall spread of votes nationally.
2) Secondly, however, Hitler’s victory was genuine, and left Hindenburg with little option but to appoint Hitler Chancellor, just as Gordon Brown was left with little option but to tender his resignation and advise the Queen to invite David Cameron to form a Government. The message to draw from this is that democracy can produce bad results, but especially if its practitioners are malign of intent and will, being supported by the ignorance and wish-fulfilment of the electorate.
From which we must draw the further lesson that we need a more educated and perceptive electorate (which is why our corrupt Press needs to be thoroughly shaken up – as per Howard’s comment above) and a more truthful political class, which will be willing really to engage in dialogue. This can only occur if we, as citizens, act on Abe Lincoln’s saying, and recognize that the price of liberty is eternal vigilance, exercised by fierce scrutiny on the basis of real knowledge – of which this Blog is a prime example.
I think it is a case of all eyes on the US though in the wake of the Boston bombs and attempted ricin poisoning via mail shot?
this is a good example of “crass”.
Respectfully no
What you have just said is a perfect example of crass
And of the indifference that lets extremism happen
Here are a few things that make me think that the US is powder keg waiting to blow!
Corporate capture of the Federal Government
State governments in financial difficulty
The privatisation of prisons with occupancy targets
A dysfunctional medical insurance system wrecking people’s lives
The rise of the Tea Party
Distrust of Federal govenment by a large proportion of the population
The popularity
The backlash against firearm restrictions felt my many to be the infringement of their right to bear arms under the second amendment
The debt burden carried by a large number of unemployed college graduates.
The popularity of shows such as “Doomsday Preppers”
Cuts being made to Social Security
A growing population dependent on food stamps
The greatest wealth inequality gap in the developed world.
Please feel free to add. Do the above paint a picture of a balanced, well adjusted society and what would civil unrest on a massive scale lead to?
The re-rise of Antisemitism in Europe is no surprise. It is a highly irrational force that channels collective discontent. In our country, the Tories are vilifying a whole economic class of people at present (I’m a member of this group at the moment)and using phraseology that questions their human worth. For some months now I’ve been trying to get Osborne to apologise to me personally for what amounts to defamation and slander. I will keep sending letters until the issue is dealt with. I would enjoin anyone who feels concerned about this to write to osborne at the Treasury. 1 Horse Guards Rd, London SW1A 2HQ.
This is nothing new. Hungary was only too happy to send off its Jewish population to die in Auschwitz, even as the war was ending in 1944, they couldn’t wait to send men, women and children to their deaths for the crime of being Jewish. Almost one million Hungarian Jews died there. There are around 50,000 Jews left in Hungary but I imagine most of them will be getting out as quickly as they can, not wanting to be turned into soap bars or lamp shades for their gentile countrymen.
The psychology of anti-semitism as deeply disturbing. Nietzsche (despite his appropriation by the Nazis) called it ‘scabies of the heart.’ Even if no-one of jewish background existed it would still be something these sorts of governments would have recourse to. When public discontent is high the unscrupulous make use of any scapegoat to hand – the facts then become the first victim.