MISAPPROPRIATED COUNTRY (FROM COMMUNISM TO CLEPTOCRACY) by András Bereznay, ABSTRACT Nothing in Hungarian politics can be taken at face value. A bogus democracy exists, established by an unadmitted alliance of the intelligentsia – already silent partners of the 1963-1988 period of communism – and the former communists to serve their own narrow interests. A pseudo multi-party system had been established. Policies were coordinated, rules laid on the National Round Table of 1989, itself illegitimate from a democratic standpoint. Hence everything that had taken place since must be regarded undemocratic. The proper functioning and effectiveness of the sole party aiming for a bottom up democracy that emerged during the period of transition was prevented by administrative means; it ceased to exist. Elections are undemocratic: there is open ballot under the guise of 'nomination'. Voters – pitted against each other in terms of left/right 'sides' by phony yet highly emotive issues manipulatively raised along party lines – are instruments to legitimate a system wherein highly antagonistic party politics is a pretence,  choice is a mirage. Voting is typically led by fear of the other 'side' - not by a search for improvement. No opportunity to divide society is left unexploited: national discourse is in the grip of fake concerns. The ability to relate to reality is eroded; it distorts the national psyche. This self serving rule of the combined elite is ruinous. The peaceful way out is to call their bluff: voting should be refused. When as a result of being deprived from formal legitimacy the system inevitably unravels, society recognizes that real aims are shared by most, division ceases and self respects returns: Western style democracy can then be built from below… To read the whole article choose your language of preference and press one of the below buttons