Istvan Bethlen: A Great Conservative Statesman of Hungary

by Ignác Romsics

This study provides an account of the work of Count Istvan Bethlen, the chief architect of the interwar conservative political system in Hungary. It details his policies, which improved Hungary's internal and external position.

491 pages, Hardcover

First published January 5, 1995

Reviews

[Balazs · Rating 5 out of 5]

A 'sine ira et studio' biography of the greatest statesman of the Horthy-era (1920-1944) from the preeminent historian of 20th century Hungarian history. In this meticulously researched and balanced biography Romsics provides the enduring assessment of Count Bethlen, the provincial magnate, staunchly defending agrarian and aristocratic interests, promoting forceful magyarization and opposing democratization (1901-1918), the counter-revolutionary leader (1919-21), the restorer of a liberal-leaning, semi-parliamentary, elitist Rechstaat (1921-31), who never gave up the restoration of Greater Hungary (excepting Croatia and Burgenland, two territories Bethlen genuinely relinquished claims to), the defender of that structure against democratic agrarianism, middle-class liberalism, and - most crucially - both "popular" (Arrow cross) and "gentlemanly" (Gömbös, Imrédy) national socialism/fascistic ultranationalism.

Bethlen's strengths as a political tactician and manager, as well as his weaknessess as a man bound by his social class come across well in this book. Tactical flexibility and unbending insistance on territorial revisionism and the rejection of economic (agrarian reform) and political (universal suffrage) democracy, the captain who aligned Hungary with the revisionist powers of Italy and Germany, and the elder statesman crusading against national socialism and German domination, the mighty politician and neglectful family head all come to life.