Oh Hungary Where Art Thou?

I have eyes and ears. Yes, that’s my defence. Because today’s observation is about, and coming from someone not well informed about
Hungarian Politics! It sounds like it should be a well-known phrase in English right? Like Chinese whispers, or Dutch Courage. ‘Ah I see they’ve descended into Hungarian Politics’ you might say in the pub or at a dinner-party, meaning the conversation has become confused, contradictory, and slightly absurd.

The thing is I never expected to come here at a time when little old Hungary (adopt patronising colonial tone) is making the news for its politics. So I can’t really not say anything or people might accuse my blog of being controlled by the Government (rather than just my Ego). So here goes:

It used to seem so simple when I was growing up (in England I should hasten to add). ‘Oppressive Goulash Communist regime, can’t wait till they bugger off into history’, would pretty much sum it up. But now, you’ve got your Viktor Orban (sounds like a baddie from a Superman movie), seemingly running roughshod with the country, like a ten year old boy who stole his daddy’s car, spun it out of control, and doesn’t know how to make it stop.

I’m basing this on what I read in the Western press (which might be a criticism form some pro-gov Hungarians, which is sort of ironic). I’ve also been to three demonstrations, two anti-government, and one pro-government. I didn’t understand much of what was said, so I was mainly judging on the atmosphere and people’s faces (did I mention I was uninformed?)

I could write for a while with various observations, but blogs should be short-ish, and not essays. Maybe I should do it as a list:

1. The anti-gov demos were a whole range of people, young and old. The pro-gov was a slightly older crowd, more flags, some ‘families’ and unexpectedly peaceful (candles, folks songs). But there wasn’t that much difference, so clearly Hungary seems split.
2. The far right were present at the anti-gov demo (and by accident found myself amongst them), but I think we all know that lot can be dismissed as the bullies and bullied, who’ve been handed a ticket telling them why their life isn’t better (‘oh you’d be fine, if it wasn’t those goblins stealing your food’) and made to feel important by being given a badge.
3. The problem as I see it with the current government is that, apart from gambling with the cash (who isn’t these days?), is that their paranoia has led to some worrying developments. ‘Hey the old regime controlled the media!’ they cry ‘lets solve this by controlling the media’.
4. Then there’s the worrying idea that building a traditional ‘Christian’ society should mean being anti-Jewish, anti-gypsy, anti-gay. And anti-homeless (yeah, bet Jesus would have love that one Vick).
5. The more the government tries to define what the real Hungary is the less real it seems. That vision of Hungary is in danger of being a tacky tourist shop on the Vaci utca, selling stick-on moustaches.
6. At a time of crisis, and emerging from the heavy clouds of history, it seems to me that instead of looking back, Hungary needs to look forward. Don’t reinvent yourself by dressing up in folk costume, reinvent it by being new, positive, creative. Don’t look at the old painting on the wall, look to your children. The magic stone in the stone soup never existed Viktor. It what you make with what, and with everyone, you’ve got.