ABSTRACT
In Hungary, the transition to democracy most conforms to the model established in the democratisation literature. The new formula promotes democratisation, especially of a procedural kind, and is thus more politically acceptable, but establishes regimes which are structurally dependent on the advanced capitalist world through the explicit linkage of economic assistance to neo-liberal economic reforms which facilitate integration into the global political economy. Liberal democracy has been consolidated, historically, both in its first and second waves in conditions of economic expansion, industrialisation and the growth of the working class and its organisations. By the end of World War II, social-democratic governments; committed to the expansion of the welfare state, nationalisation and limited planning, were actually in power. If democracy is to be consolidated a generalised economic upturn is essential. The national alliance with the directors reemerged in 1995 with the formation of the Union of Labour electoral pact but failed dismally in terms of winning votes.
