COMMENT: The right wing government of Hungary continues to manifest programs and ideological pronouncements disturbingly reminiscent of that country’s past–a fascist nation allied with the Axis in World War II.
Under the stewardship of the Arrow Cross organization, Hungary fought alongside Nazi Germany and was an enthusiastic participant in Hitler’s social agenda as well.
Now that nation has implemented a forced labor program for its large, growing number of unemployed workers.
Will the U.S. undergo something similar in the not too distant future? If the GOP gets back into power, that is a possibility that should not be too readily dismissed.
After all, the Republicans have already demonstrated their implacable hostility toward those collecting unemployment benefits and social security. Constructing a forced labor program wouldn’t be all that much of a reach for the GOP.
In that context, one should not forget that the GOP’s Ethnic outreach organization was crafted under the stewardship of Laszlo Pasztor, a veteran of the Arrow Cross. That organization has been well represented within the Republican ethnic outreach milieu.
“Hungary to Introduce Forced Labor, Labor Camps”; Little Green Footballs; 8/3/2011.
EXCERPT: The labor plan will result in 225 million euros savings annually for the government and in turn facilitate a massive reduction in national wage levels. The payment paid for those undertaking the forced labor is based on the social assistance rate of 28,500 forints (110 euros) per month, i.e., a sum which is less than half the monthly minimum wage of 78,000 forints.
In recent years thousands of public employees have been laid off, leading to staff shortages in some areas. The labor plan will free up workers to be exploited in forced labor schemes for major state works programs related to infrastructure and agriculture. Hungarian media have cited the construction of soccer stadiums, road works, maintenance of drainage systems and the construction of dams as examples of the new “community service”.
400,000 Hungarians are immediately eligible to carry out such labor. In a recent interview Orban made clear that, in his view, such forced labor was urgently required. In future dams will be constructed “not with the technology of the 21st century (...), but by hand.”
The plan envisages that the unemployed can be used either for state projects, or “loaned out” to private companies. . . .
I have a feeling similar policies will be used for the euro bailout nations, where Germany will do a Barter style deal for workers/labourers, as well as foodstuffs, as part payment for debts etc.
http://germanywatch.blogspot.com/2011/08/fundamental-change-of-regime-extensive.html
You have to wonder what other innovative policy solutions will be enabled in Hungary now that he far-right has unilaterally overhauled their constitution:
A lesson from “Fascist takeovers 101”: When you want to “refurbish” a society, break it first. Then offer solutions that involve the unilateral acquisition of power. Or ride in on vague campaigns for reform and just take the unilateral power when you get a chance. Either way, Mission Accomplished:
Also, note that the claims by Fidesz that they are merely implementing the sweeping changes that they campaigned on appear to be BS.
[...] Hungarian government implements forced labour program [...]
The “Parlia-military”: Because one new Hungarian secret police force with broad powers and and no unaccountability just wasn’t enough.
@Pterrafractyl: I am quite frankly beginning to wonder if we may someday see a new era of European immigration to the U.S.? As bad as things may have been here, we, at least, have a good shot of pulling ourselves back up. Much of Europe, it seems, doesn’t.
@Steven: It’s already under way. There have been a lot of French that either immigrated or came to Quebec for work, studies, etc, in the last years. I think the disintegration of Europe has a lot to do with it, difficulties to find work, and the slowly conversion of european society to Sharia Law through hypocritical means like halal food, islamic veil for women, special rooms for prayers in buildings, etc. Many Europeans feel like that they have been betrayed by their leaders, and rightly so. In the U.S., you may encounter a similar wave of immigration from the U.K. in the coming years if the situation continues to deteriorate.
@Steven and Claude: It’s a testament to how radically the world has regressed in the last decade that we’re now looking at some sort of repeat of the 1930’s...except instead of a failed Weimar Republic imploding economically from hyperinflation there’s an entire eurozone superstate that seems to be intent on turning the whole continent into some sort of defunct deflationary Weimar superstate. Let’s just hope the US doesn’t end up turning away waves of immigrants fleeing for the lives. Again.
@Claude: I hate to disagree with you, man, but I am highly skeptical of the supposed ‘Sharia law’ conspiracy theories, given that nearly everybody that’s been pushing them in the MSM have been right-wing bullshit machines, not just in your country(Canada) or mine(U.S.), but in Europe as well.
With that said, though, it is certainly true, sadly, that radical Islamist extremists won’t be going away anytime soon in any of these places.
And, having looked into Gaffney, I have some bad news for you; he may have come out against Grover Norquist, but unfortunately, he isn’t exactly one of the good guys, either. He too, is connected to PNAC, and has been involved in the ‘Obama is a secret Muslim illegal alien’ bullshittery.
John Loftus, at least, seems to be a genuinely decent guy. Gaffney? Not so much.
@Steven: Concerning Sharia Law, I am afraid that it is not a matter of opinion but rather of facts. It has nothing to do with conspiracy theory. All reports coming from Europe are scary. Muslims praying in the streets, imposing halal food in school cafeterias, imposing islamic veil in certain neighbourhoods. Did you know that there are whole neighbourhoods in France where the police don’t go, either because they are scared or because they don’t have the orders to arrest people? These areas are controlled by criminal gangs, and the mixture of that with radical or even violent Islam is toxic. Imagine complete sectors of New York or Los Angeles where State Police wouldn’t go... That’s the situation in France.
And the other thing is that only by reproduction, Muslims will become the majority somewhere between 2030 and 2050. Then, according to the specifications of Sharia Law, when they become the majority, Sharia Law will become automatically the Law of the Land, replacing any Constitution, Bill or Rights, criminal code, etc. Europeans along other westerners don’t reproduce enough to maintain their populations. And so they will be replaced by another group with different values. But corporations will love them for their “submission”. That’s the meaning of the word “Islam”.
And for Gaffney, I take note of your comment but I need more information to come to this conclusion at this time.
“Hungary Rehabilitates Far-Right Figures
By Keno Verseck in Budapest”
06/06/2012 06.06.2012 Spiegel Online
http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/right-wing-extremists-cultivate-horthy-cult-in-hungary-a-836526.html
Awwwww, poor dear:
These things seem to occur on a regular basis.
Vf
http://www.jns.org/news-briefs/2013/11/4/jobbik-partys-commemoration-of-hungarian-nazi-collaborator-sparks-protest
Jobbik party’s commemoration of Hungarian Nazi collaborator sparks protest
Posted on November 4, 2013 by JNS.org.
(JNS.org) Nearly 1,000 protestors took to the streets in Budapest to decry the far-right Jobbik party’s unveiling of a statue of Hungarian wartime leader and Nazi collaborator Miklos Horthy, Reuters reported.
The third-largest party in Hungary, Jobbik’s leaders have stoked extremism anti-Semitism in Hungary, often denigrating Jews and Israel in speeches.
“It is a historical travesty to publicly honor a man who introduced anti-Jewish laws in 1938, who sided with Adolf Hitler before and during World War II and who did nothing to prevent the murder of Hungarian Jewry,” World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder said in a statement.
Horthy, who ruled Hungary from 1920–1944, helped the Nazis to deport more than 437,000 Jews to death camps in less than two months in 1944, according to the Hungarian Holocaust Memorial Centre.