History/Political Science paper by Strausz, Péter
Panel Proposal: The History of Hungarian Christian Democratic Movements 1930-1970. I. The Concept of Vocational Order – A basis of Hungarian Christian Democracy (Accepted)
Type of Abstract (select):Abstract (max. 250 words):
Hungarian Christian Democracy’s ideological roots can be found in the concept of ”vocational order”, therefore this theory is worth investigation. The various European authoritarian crisis-solving attempts of the 1920s and 1930s – Bolshevik nationalization, Fascist corporatism and the National Socialist economic governance model – aimed at organizing all the employers and employees and forcing them to establish new types of interest-representing organizations. Pius XI’s papal encyclical letter beginning as “Quadragesimo anno” in 1931, however intended to provide an alternative for solving social problems – against the Bolshevik, Socialist and Fascist agenda. Its central concept stated that it is necessary to establish a new social order. The encyclical letter expressed that founding interest reconciling professional communities (vocational orders) as the solution, instead of launching class war and political struggles. This aim was to be reached by reconstructing the economic and social structure on the basis of concept of vocational order. Pius XI expressed his belief that vocational orders must be founded on the ideas of solidarity, subsidiarity.
Brief Professional Bio (max. 100 words):
Peter Strausz, PhD, habil. is a Hungarian historian, associate professor at the Institute of Management of Corvinus University of Budapest. His major field of research is the history of the 20th century in Hungary, the history of advocacy organisations, e.g. chambers, the theoretical background of social partnership and the history of Hungarian and Central European management. In previous years he participated in several Hungarian National Science Research Projects (OTKA). Besides he worked as research coordinator at the Prime Minister’s Office and head of department at Institute for Hungarian Language Strategy. He was the first director of Habsburg Otto Foundation founded by the Hungarian government.