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A Rákosi-korszak
Rákosi Mátyás a sztálinizmus első számú építőmestere volt a szovjet protektorátussá vált Magyarországon. Noha a regnálása harmadannyi ideig sem tartott, mint Sztáliné, terroruralma modern kori tatárjárást jelentett a korabeli magyar társadalom számára.
A szerző sorra veszi a diktatúra évtizedében elszenvedett gazdasági és társadalmi veszteségeket, amelyek „harmadik Trianonként” nehezedtek az országra. A kötet lapjain megelevenedik az egymásra torlódott fordulatok időszaka, a kommunista pártegyeduralom kiépítése, a hidegháborús hisztéria, a terrorgépezet működése, a mezőgazdaság kollektivizálása, s a társadalmat ért számtalan trauma mellett az ország irányítását jellemző káosz.
S végül elérkezünk 1956-hoz, amikorra már nem csupán a társadalom szembenállása vált nyilvánvalóvá a rendszerrel, de még legközvetlenebb elvtársai is szembefordultak a Rákosival és az általa megszemélyesített uralommal.
Gyarmati György kötete az első sok szempontú összefoglaló a magyar történelem egy elfeledett korszakáról közérthetően, számos korabeli forrással és képpel elevenítve meg a mai olvasó számára szinte már elképzelhetetlen korszakot.
A szerző sorra veszi a diktatúra évtizedében elszenvedett gazdasági és társadalmi veszteségeket, amelyek „harmadik Trianonként” nehezedtek az országra. A kötet lapjain megelevenedik az egymásra torlódott fordulatok időszaka, a kommunista pártegyeduralom kiépítése, a hidegháborús hisztéria, a terrorgépezet működése, a mezőgazdaság kollektivizálása, s a társadalmat ért számtalan trauma mellett az ország irányítását jellemző káosz.
S végül elérkezünk 1956-hoz, amikorra már nem csupán a társadalom szembenállása vált nyilvánvalóvá a rendszerrel, de még legközvetlenebb elvtársai is szembefordultak a Rákosival és az általa megszemélyesített uralommal.
Gyarmati György kötete az első sok szempontú összefoglaló a magyar történelem egy elfeledett korszakáról közérthetően, számos korabeli forrással és képpel elevenítve meg a mai olvasó számára szinte már elképzelhetetlen korszakot.
528 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2021
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June 2, 2024
This book was a struggle, but not because the topic was not interesting. I have actually started reading it for an exam, but I quickly realized that it will take a lot more time to absorb this material than my time budget until the exam. I have to say this is the single most comprehensive book so far of what we know about the Rákosi-era, from the end of the 2nd world war leading up to the revolution of 1956.
Rákosi, the illegal communist in prison during the Horthy regime, was swapped for the historical 1848 flags during WWII. What could have been this guy's significance to the Soviets to perform such an exchange? The country found out early 1945 when the liberating, or in other context invading Soviet troops entered the country, they brought with themselves a whole bench of moscovite hungarian communists back from exile who were destined to begin the great project of "soviet colonization".
Rákosi was, by some saying the best student of Stalin, there was not a single ounce of critical thinking, national idea or compassion toward the people while executing on the master's plan. By 1953 he managed to perform changes in the country equivalent to "a third Trianon", the second being a few years behind when the country got bulldozed to rubble first by the retreating Germans, and then the incoming Red Army. The aura of terror, the ex lex nature of ÁVO-ÁVH persecution, the "justizmord" trials, trying to make Hungary into the country of iron and steel, the beginning of the forced-collectivization of agriculture, nationalization of all industry and services were the main characteristics of these times. All the time backed up by the presence of the Red Army and its generals who from day 1 supporting the communist party in their demolition of the fledgling democratic order until 1948, then making the country into one of the worst of orwellian utopias ever existed.
One of the best concepts Gyarmati covers is the "transformational losses" that are part of every change of regime. 1945 and then 1948, these regime changes created a bottleneck due to the overwhelming amount of changes in society and politics both times, none of which had the necessary time to mature and properly establish their order. This means "transformational losses", e.g. the complete loss of personal property, the dismantling of historical aristocratic and church agricultural industry, a whole new political elite, káderism - uncultured communist functionaries replacing the old guard in administration, the undue focus on military spending preparing for WWIII etc. created such an amount hidden losses in the state budget and society in general that no wonder by 1953 the country was again on the brink of collapse. Imre Nagy's brief stint after Stalin's death only lasted for too short a time to change anything significantly, while due to changing winds in cold war politics brought Rákosi back to the helm in 1955 where he remained up until summer of 1956. He took deliberate steps to reroll all of Nagy's reforms quickly creating an athmosphere of revolution that culminated in the glorious days of October.
The book is a great, refreshing and probably more complete overview that anything created before. The style of the prose is hard to absorb though, very scientific and convoluted. It takes real commitment to go through this book but it's definitely worth it!
Rákosi, the illegal communist in prison during the Horthy regime, was swapped for the historical 1848 flags during WWII. What could have been this guy's significance to the Soviets to perform such an exchange? The country found out early 1945 when the liberating, or in other context invading Soviet troops entered the country, they brought with themselves a whole bench of moscovite hungarian communists back from exile who were destined to begin the great project of "soviet colonization".
Rákosi was, by some saying the best student of Stalin, there was not a single ounce of critical thinking, national idea or compassion toward the people while executing on the master's plan. By 1953 he managed to perform changes in the country equivalent to "a third Trianon", the second being a few years behind when the country got bulldozed to rubble first by the retreating Germans, and then the incoming Red Army. The aura of terror, the ex lex nature of ÁVO-ÁVH persecution, the "justizmord" trials, trying to make Hungary into the country of iron and steel, the beginning of the forced-collectivization of agriculture, nationalization of all industry and services were the main characteristics of these times. All the time backed up by the presence of the Red Army and its generals who from day 1 supporting the communist party in their demolition of the fledgling democratic order until 1948, then making the country into one of the worst of orwellian utopias ever existed.
One of the best concepts Gyarmati covers is the "transformational losses" that are part of every change of regime. 1945 and then 1948, these regime changes created a bottleneck due to the overwhelming amount of changes in society and politics both times, none of which had the necessary time to mature and properly establish their order. This means "transformational losses", e.g. the complete loss of personal property, the dismantling of historical aristocratic and church agricultural industry, a whole new political elite, káderism - uncultured communist functionaries replacing the old guard in administration, the undue focus on military spending preparing for WWIII etc. created such an amount hidden losses in the state budget and society in general that no wonder by 1953 the country was again on the brink of collapse. Imre Nagy's brief stint after Stalin's death only lasted for too short a time to change anything significantly, while due to changing winds in cold war politics brought Rákosi back to the helm in 1955 where he remained up until summer of 1956. He took deliberate steps to reroll all of Nagy's reforms quickly creating an athmosphere of revolution that culminated in the glorious days of October.
The book is a great, refreshing and probably more complete overview that anything created before. The style of the prose is hard to absorb though, very scientific and convoluted. It takes real commitment to go through this book but it's definitely worth it!
Displaying 1 of 1 review