Géza Jeszenszky: The Collapse of the Soviet Empire and Communism

Posted by  jmegyeri  on  Wednesday, April 08, 2009 : 1276 Reads

The sudden death of an ideology and an empire

Entering 1989 the Soviet Union and its informal but very real empire was already facing serious economic difficulties and a lack of confidence about attaining the ambitious aims of its official philosophy, called Marxism-Leninism: the creation of a new socio-political order based on communal property and abundance. However, no politician or analyst foresaw that by the end of the year all the communist one-party states of Central and South-eastern Europe would renounce dictatorship and switch to political pluralism. In 1990 they all held free elections won by parties opposed to the communists, discarded even the vestiges of Soviet-type Socialism, and started restoring capitalism, i.e. the market economy, while proclaiming their aim to return to the basic values of the West and the institutions built upon them. On 1 July 1991 the Warsaw Pact, the political-military organization of the Soviet Empire was dissolved by common consent, approved by Gorbachev, the President of the Soviet Union. On 25 December the Soviet Union itself was officially dissolved and its member states became internationally recognized sovereign, independent countries, all professing a commitment to political pluralism and the market economy. Never in human history did an empire disappear so suddenly and without bloodshed, and no profound political, economic and social changes took place in such a short period over such a large territory.

The causes of the collapse of the communist system are complex, they can be listed under the following headings: inherent or systemic, fundamental or substantive, incidental and immediate.

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Hungarian Revolt Contributed to Oregon Culture

Posted by  Kovacs_Istvan  on  Wednesday, January 28, 2009 : 2003 Reads

The Oregonian, Sunday November 2, 1986

The cream of Hungary’s population fled their homeland 30 years ago this month as the Soviet army crushed a 14-day rebellion against Moscow’s domination of a once independent nation.

An estimated 200,000 Hungarians turned their backs on their homes, jobs, treasured heirlooms and ― in some cases ― families, to seek freedom and opportunity in the non-communist world. Approximately 38,000 of the self-exiled Hungarians were welcomed to the United States in the months after the 1956 revolt.

Inspired by the heroism of the Hungarians who, against overwhelming odds, had risen up to fight Soviet tanks with gasoline-filled bottles, American church groups and individuals volunteered as sponsors to help the refugees settle in a new homeland.

Among those groups was the Oregon Committee for Hungarian Refugees. During its three months of existence, the Oregon committee worked with charitable agencies to bring 220 refugees to Oregon and provide them with transportation, temporary housing, orientation, job placement and permanent sponsors. More than 2,000 contributors donated money for the committee’s work.­

Note: In 1986 on the the 30th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution The Oregonian interviewed Ede Hamar. The article is reprinted here as it is currently not online and is only available via microfilm.

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