Reluctant Rulers and the Negotiated Transition: Mobilizing for democracy in Hungary

Abstract

Among the Eastern European democratization processes of the 1989 period, Hungary stands out as the least dramatic transition in the region. Whereas other countries experienced massive demonstrations in favor of democratic demands, or violent upheavals resulting in the execution of dictators, Hungary experienced neither and has been referred to as an 'uncomplicated' case. While some mobilization from below did occur, the Hungarian transition was characterized by elites - new and old – and the intentional exclusion of the population at large. Why did the democratization process unfold this way, and why did a seemingly stable regime give up without a fight? These are some of the questions this report seeks to answer.