78 lines
3.1 KiB
Markdown
78 lines
3.1 KiB
Markdown
The **Hungarian Revolution of 1919** refers to a [socialist
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revolution](List_of_Revolutions "wikilink") that took place in
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[Hungary](Hungary "wikilink") in
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[1919](Timeline_of_Libertarian_Socialism_in_Eastern_Europe "wikilink").
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It led to the formation of the **Hungarian Soviet Republic** (or the
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**Republic of Councils in Hungary**) which became the second [socialist
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state](Socialism_in_Practice "wikilink") established in the world, and
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was given direct orders by [Lenin](Vladimir_Lenin "wikilink").
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## Background
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Following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire after World War I,
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a new liberal republic was established. However, the government lacked a
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military and had its land occupied by foreign powers. The Hungarian
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Communist Party organised itself in a hotel in Moscow, and returned to
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Hungary, recruiting unemployed soldiers, young intellectuals, ethnic
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minorities and urban industrial workers.
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After attempted repression of the movement and street battles with the
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social democrats, the government attempted to merge with the social
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democrats to form the Hungarian Socialist Party. After many communists
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were released from prisons, they carried out a coup against the liberal
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government and purged social democrats from the government.
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### Socialist Policies
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The policies implemented by the government included:
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- Abolition of all aristocratic titles and privileges
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- Sepeartion of church and state
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- Right to freedom of speech and assembly
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- Free education
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- Language and cultural rights for minorities
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- Nationalisation of industry, banks, transport, housing, healthcare,
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cultural institutions and large landholdings
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In addition, there was the creation of the Lenin Boys, a militia which
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was deployed in locations where it was suspected a counter-revolution
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would begin. They began a [red
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terror](Red_Terror_\(Hungary\) "wikilink"), executing people without
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trial and disbanding religious ceremonies, which led to them being
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attacked by locals. The red terror soon spread to the cities after a
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failed coup by the [social democrats](Social_Democracy "wikilink"), in
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which people were executed for suspected involvement with the coup,
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leading to a loss of support for the government.
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The government attempted to form an alliance with socialist Russia, but
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Lenin refused, citing the need to concentrate on the [Russian Civil
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War](Russian_Civil_War "wikilink"), but he still issued commands to them
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via radio.
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### Downfall
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The government had sustained popularity by promising to regain Hungary's
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borders, but soon this failed and the army defected. Then, Romania
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invaded, destroyed the revolution and began a white terror.
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## Aftermath
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Surviving organisers fled to what would become the
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[USSR](USSR "wikilink") and were later all killed during the Great
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Purge.
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### Legacy
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Both the [Hungarian People's
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Republic](Hungarian_People's_Republic "wikilink") and [1956
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revolution](Hungarian_Revolution_\(1956\) "wikilink") claimed to be the
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legitimate successors of this revolution.
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## See Also
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- [Revolutions of 1916 - 1923](Revolutions_of_1916_-_1923 "wikilink")
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## References
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[Wikipedia - Hungarian Soviet
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Republic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_Soviet_Republic) |