By Jane Doe 2 of Yakima, an immigrant from Hungary
The USA has an important anniversary coming up: its 250th birthday! And now, its life is in danger!
This country was invented by people who had escaped various forms of tyranny in their homelands, and they were courageous enough to try to get away from that, and to establish a new way, a better way. What they wanted was a limited government which would not be able to steam roll the individual. One way they tried to get to that end was to create a constitution with three co-equal branches of government, where no single branch could dominate. They established the legislative branch, whose job was to make laws, and allocate money to projects that the people wanted; an executive branch, whose job was to do the work the legislature wanted done, and the judicial, whose job was to be the referee. It soon became clear that more was needed, so they created the Bill of Rights which described the rights of individuals vis a vis the government. The system was never perfect, but it worked, albeit imperfectly.
In 2024, the electorate chose Donald Trump, who campaigned on a promise of personal revenge against anyone who had ever challenged him, and he is making good on that promise. He has used his charisma to help elect both houses of Congress and has threatened vengeance against anyone who might oppose his policies and personnel selections. He has staffed the executive branch with those who are personally loyal to him rather than to the country. And because he was able to pack the Supreme Court with loyalists during his first term of office, he stands virtually unopposed by those in government.
I come from Hungary, where the government was overtaken by the communists in 1949.
AI Version of Hungary’s Takeover by an Authoritarian Regime:
Hungary became communist through a process of increasing Soviet influence after World War II, culminating in the Hungarian Working People’s Party (communist party) consolidating power by 1949 through manipulation of elections, banning of opposition, nationalization of industries, and suppression of dissent. This led to the establishment of the Hungarian People’s Republic, a socialist state aligned with the Soviet Union, with the Soviet Red Army maintaining a significant presence in the country. Post-War Soviet Influence and Consolidation of Power:
- Soviet Occupation: Following World War II, Soviet forces remained in Hungary, creating an environment where communist influence could grow.
- Erosion of Democracy: The brief period of multi-party democracy ended as the Communist Party gradually gained control, with support from the Soviet Union.
- Hungarian Working People’s Party: The Hungarian Social Democratic Party was forced to merge with the Communist Party, forming the Hungarian Working People’s Party.
- Electoral Manipulation: The party then secured power through manipulated elections in 1949, leading to the establishment of the Hungarian People’s Republic and the formalization of a socialist state.
- Proclaimed Hungarian People’s Republic: The socialist state was established on August 20, 1949.
- Economic and Social Policies: The new government, adopting the Soviet economic model, nationalized industries and natural resources, and implemented collectivized agriculture.
- Suppression of Opposition: A period of mass terror and suppression of dissent followed, ensuring the party’s control and eliminating opposition.
- Continued Soviet Influence: The USSR concluded a mutual assistance treaty(COMECON) with Hungary, which permitted the stationing of Red Army troops, further solidifying Soviet control.
Our family was caught up in the process in several ways:
Farms were “nationalized” through a decree that all farmlands, animals, and equipment were to be delivered to the government within three days. Our family were one of the dominant land holders, holding about 3700 acres of farmland.
All homes throughout the country were “nationalized” similarly. And the government decreed how much space in any home was allowed per person. If a house was bigger than the allowance, additional people were quartered there by the government. And since all dwellings were the property of the government, they had full control over who lived where.
There was a law that forbade hoarding. My dad’s family had a sow who died of natural causes, so the family decided to work her fat up into soap. Someone reported that we had more soap on hand than allowed. The secret police came during the night and took my dad away. It was days before my mom knew where he was. He served three years in prison for that crime.
Education was reserved to those whose families could be counted on to be loyal to the new government. Families who had a lost a great deal of property were deemed to be likely disloyal, so their children were classified as ineligible for education beyond the 8th grade, on the theory that education brings power. If these kids were not educated, they would be permanently powerless.
