‘Coming up with an authoritative definition of conservatism is not an end in itself so much as a sort of ritualistic pursuit, which we perform expecting some change from it along the lines of a deeper understanding of our past, our present, and the mysteries of the human species and the world. There are any number of ways in which the history of conservative thought could be written, if only as a story of the attempts at grasping the very notion of conservatism.’
On 27 September an online conference organized jointly by the Diaspora Project Network of the University of Pécs and Kerko Media Ltd. featured Hungarian communities in San Francisco and its vicinity. The livestreamed discussion, followed in more than ten countries, was an impressive presentation of the diverse voluntary activities and exemplary cooperation of Hungarian organizations.
‘We have come to learn that in Hungary there is some (healthy) debate about the balance between fighting for freedom and building for freedom. This debate should not be regarded as a choice between two mutually exclusive paths, but rather as a pursuit to balance two necessary components of the same struggle. What is so remarkable about this discussion from an Afrikaner perspective, is that it speaks directly to one of our main slogans: “veg en bou” (“fight and build”). When we say veg en bou, we mean that we have to fight against injustice in order to protect what is ours, but at the same time, we ought to develop our own institutions to strengthen our ability to take care of our communities.’
On the left side of today’s Rákóczi Road, on the way to Astoria, stood the Úttörő és Ifjúsági (Pioneer and Youth) State Store, which opened in the autumn of 1950 and was one of the most important shopping outlets for the youth of the time. Among its main goods were children’s clothing, sports and play equipment, children’s furniture, and, of course, as its name suggests, pioneer paraphernalia as well.
On 23 October 1956, István Üsztöke participated in the production of the famous sixteen points demanding democracy as a printer, for which he had to flee from Hungary. He emigrated to the US, where he worked as a printer until his retirement, then as a real estate agent, a candy man, and finally as a TV producer, for which he was personally honoured by former Hungarian President János Áder.
Presidents’ Day was originally celebrated on George Washington’s birthday, 22 February, but it was later moved to the third Monday in every February—which is today. Since this is a presidential election year in the United States, let’s take a look at the way the very first POTUS led the country in its infancy.
An interview with Hungarian American political scientist András Ludányi on his family background, scouting, his teaching career, his political preferences, and the representation of Hungarian interests in the US.
Ferenc Deák, the primary facilitator of the Austro–Hungarian Compromise of 1867, the country’s first Minister of Justice, and the namesake of so many public spaces and institutions in Hungary today, passed away 148 years ago on this day.
When arguing against stricter immigration laws, some on the left like to appeal to the significance of migration in American history. However, the truth is that there has never been a popular demand for lack of immigration control in the United States.
When the Soviet intervention against the Hungarian Revolution was placed on the agenda of the UN Security Council, the Soviets immediately vetoed it: their argument was that it was no more than a ‘reactionary uprising’ supported by the US. The French, meanwhile, were of the view that not only the UN Charter had been contravened in Hungary, but also the Paris Peace Treaties, and even the Warsaw Pact that served the legal foundation for the invasion. On the other hand, the United Kingdom questioned whether the use of Soviet military forces stationed in Hungary under a valid treaty and at the behest of the Hungarian government could even be called an intervention at all.
Hungarian Conservative is a quarterly magazine on contemporary political, philosophical and cultural issues from a conservative perspective.
