ABSTRACT
In 1989, at the beginning of the period of political transition in Hungary, there was no independent social policy system with clear social priorities. Nevertheless, the economy and all branches of the public policy were imbued with social concerns. Full employment, extensive subsidies for basic services, and free or subsidized health services provided all of society with a form of ‘social care’. In addition, local social policy supported a very narrow stratum of the population whose members, because of their special needs, struggled with livelihood problems despite the national social policy system.
