ACTA HISTORICA - A MTA TÖRTÉNETTUDOMÁNYI FOLYÓIRATA TOM. 9 (1963)

9. kötet / 1-2. sz. - ETUDES - Z. HORVÁTH: The Rise of Nationalism and of the Nationality Problem in Hungary in the Last Decades of Dualism

1* The Rise of Nationalism in Hungary 5 nationality law proposed by Szemere). Choosing to forget Habsburg absolutism, the nationalities sought the protection of the emperor even after 1867. By that time, however, the Hapsburg court was not very willing to help the nationalities which turned to Vienna instead of Budapest. Francis Joseph followed with antipathy and disapprobation the confused and uncertain relations maintained with the nationalities by the entourage of the crown prince, Francis Ferdinand, and hardly disguised his intention of preparing the liqui­dation of the dual character of the Monarchy. In Vienna there were also other circles which, representing an atavistic anti-Magyarism rather than a real, democratic spirit of understanding, helped the nationalities (e. g. Lueger) and fostered the chauvinism of the ethnic bourgeoisie. Nationalist distortion did not restrict itself to the Magyars. To the same or almost the same extent it became a real factor in the life of the bourgeoisie and the lower middle classes of the nationalities too. Instead of reducing the conflict between the two parties, interaction between nationalistic groups created steady antagonism. It seems that the extreme nationalism of one side encouraged chauvinism in the other. Although a detailed analysis of the nationalism of the minorities would certainly exceed the scope of the present study, we have to point out that just as the Magyar ruling classes succeeded in infecting the consciousness of the Magyar population with their ultra-nationalism, the ethnic bourgeoisies have by and large succeeded (although by much lesser means) in lining up the apparently homogeneous block of their co-nationals — irregardless of class differences — against the just as seemingly united Magyars. The purpose of the present study is to analyse the symptoms and role of Magyar nationalism, that is, only one side of this complex phenomenon. In reality, the nationalism of the Danubian peoples emerged through this interaction and conflict, equally decisive in the development of the relationship of Danubian peoples. (This is, of course, true only in general outlines, since a searching analysis could easily reveal that the attitude of the bourgeoisie, the intellectuals, the workers and peasants of the ethnic minorities differed in many respects. Nevertheless, on the whole, all of their strata identified Hungary with the ruling classes and preferred the "Gesamtmonarchie" to dualistic Hungary.) This became clearly manifest during festivities of 1896 commemorating the millenarian anniversary of the conquest of Hungary by the Magyars. The national minorities almost unanimously rejected the Magyar nationalist idea of the "millenium" which dazzled the greater part of the Magyar population. There were, of course, some sensible Magyar writers who attached due importance to the nationality problem and pondered its difficulties. They belonged to a small cultured group of moderate conservatives or "moderate progressionists" (moderates rather than progressionists) who, in Hungarian intellectual life, represented the old-time liberal traditions of Ferenc Deák,

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