Hungary for Religion: A Supply‐Side Interpretation of the Hungarian Religious Revival

Abstract

The collapse of Soviet Communism has brought about sweeping revivals of religion in most of Eastern Europe and the Soviet successor states. This astonishing change in religious activity appears ideal for further testing of the supply-side theory of religious change. In this paper I investigate whether the dramatic religious revival in Hungary can be explained using a supply-side framework. I begin with a brief sketch of the history of religion in 20th-century Hungary in order to place current data in the proper context. Next, I present data from national surveys of Hungary and eyewitness accounts to assess the causal relationship between religious restrictions and religious activity as predicted by supply-side theory. Then I investigate secularization accounts of religious activity in Hungary and conclude that the supply-side thesis best fits the available data. Finally, I indicate the leveling off of the Hungarian revival due to decreased religious competition and posit future expectations concerning religious activity in Hungary.

Economics of Religion and its Relevance for Economists in Central Europe

“…V relativně nedávné době se zájem přesouvá i na jiné postkomunistické země. Froese (2001) interpretuje vývoj v Maďarsku v kontextu nabídkové teorie. Stejný přístup používají Froese a Pfaff (2001) při komparaci anomálních případů východního Německa a Polska.…”

The cost of wisdom : a comparative theoretical analysis of research ethics in the United States, Germany and Hungary.

“…By the 1930s, this equation had changed little, although there had been an increase in the Lutheran population to approximately 12% (Froese, 2001).…”

“…This of course is a cornerstone of totalitarian rule, whether fascist or communist, and as Hungary took on the characteristics of a police state in the late 1930s, freedom of religion, like freedom of the press, became one of its casualties (Barany, 2000;Froese, 2001). In the coming years, particularly after Hungary joined forces with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, religious persecution would be pursued with the vigor and thoroughness of racist extermination.…”

“…Scientific atheism, as defined by the communist party, critiqued traditional religion as oppressive, and held up the worship of science as the foundation of the atheistic worldview (Froese, 2001). Science in Hungary during the communist era was used as a weapon of truth management, such that the findings of scientific inquiry were manipulated to confirm the political agenda of the state.…”

“…The Red Anny left the country. For the first time in twelve years, Hungary was not occupied by a foreign power (Froese, 2001;Held, 2000;Tokeczki, 2000).…”