Place
Free account · your comment posts right after signup
The Socialist Federative Republic of Councils in Hungary (widely known in English language sources as the Hungarian Soviet Republic due to an early mistranslation) was a short-lived communist state that existed from 21 March 1919 to 1 August 1919 (133 days), succeeding the First Hungarian Republic. The Hungarian Soviet Republic was a small communist rump state, and the world's second socialist state. When the Republic of Councils in Hungary was established, it controlled approximately only 23% of Hungary's historic territory. The head of government was Sándor Garbai, but the influence of the foreign minister Béla Kun of the Hungarian Communist Party was much stronger. Unable to reach an agreement with the capitalist Triple Entente, which maintained an economic blockade of Hungary, in dispute with neighboring countries over territorial disputes, and beset by profound internal social changes, the soviet republic failed in its objectives and was abolished a few months after its existence. Its main figure was the Communist Béla Kun, despite the fact that in the first days the majority of the new government consisted of radical Social Democrats. The new system effectively concentrated power in the governing councils, which exercised it in the name of the working class.
Read the full article →