Hunglish.orgLast week commemorated the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, that momentus occasion which led to regime changes all across Eastern Europe. Or did it...?
Written by Scott Savoie
Last week commemorated the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, that momentus occasion which led to regime changes all across Eastern Europe.
In Hungary, former communists become capitalists overnight and many became overnight millionaires. Key positions were retained or handed over to blood relatives. Most importantly, the attitudes of the people reamained largely the same. The attitude towards the government and other people in general run from belligerent to hostile.
Most people feel the government should somehow be a source of revenue for themselves and their family but bristle if others share that attitude.
For example, there is a „family allowance” that the government gives to people who successfully breed. Everyone takes this money regardless of their financial sitution. Millionaires take this allowance, then bristle if they hear about someone who is dirt-poor living off such a stipend.
One attitude that changed with the regime was the introduction of an almost predatory tax system: Current Hungarian tax code demands that 115% of your next month’s salary be forwarded to the government yesterday.
If you pay all of the taxes that you owe, then you must be guilty of tax evasion.