| The purpose of this dissertation was to scrutinize the Kadar regime from 1956 to 1976, with special emphasis on Kadar's role in shaping Hungarian developments and in effecting changes in Soviet-Hungarian relations.;This study has demonstrated that the Soviet-installed Hungarian Communist leader, Janos Kadar, despite the circumstances of his coming into office, has emerged as an effective leader in his own right. Although he himself has always been a firm believer in the correctness of the Marxist-Leninist doctrines, he was not blinded by dogma. He was able to perceive realistically the prevailing political and economic conditions in post-1956 Hungary. From the onset, his domestic policies have been guided by pragmatism. As much as he needed the Kremlin's backing, he realized that he could not function effectively without broadly-based domestic support. But to engender the cooperation of the initially hostile Hungarians, he had to bring about significant economic improvements and concurrently make political concessions without overstepping the Soviet-imposed limits of such actions.;This dissertation undertook a detailed analysis of pertinent events of that period which had a bearing on the Kadar regime. By introducing innovative non-Marxist structural economic reforms, Kadar has been able to create one of the most efficient economic systems within the Soviet bloc. In return for the improvements, he only asked that people not oppose the Communist party and the Soviet Union. Thus, with adroit political skill, Kadar managed to chart an economic and political course which was acceptable to most Hungarians as well as the Soviet leaders. Kadar, in effect, has changed the totalitarian dictatorship into an authoritarian regime under which Hungarians can live in relative comfort. |
