History, Nationalism and Democracy:

Myth and Narrative in Viktor Orbán’s ‘Illiberal Hungary

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22478/ufpb.2317-6725.2024v29n50.71514

Keywords:

Fidesz, Hungary, Nationalism, Trianon, Horthy, Orbán

Abstract

This article studies the relationship between nationalistic discourse and Hungary’s ‘illiberal turn’ from the election of Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party in the 2010 Hungarian elections up until 2015. It begins by examining the arguments of authors such as Jeffrey Alexander, Quentin Skinner, and Tapio Juntunen in order to establish a theoretical framework for how political actors construct and manipulate historical myths for their own political purposes. It then goes on to examine how Orbán specifically uses and constructs narratives surrounding the Treaty of Trianon and Miklós Horthy, the interwar leader of Hungary. This article argues that in addition to allowing Orbán to build a defensive shield against criticism from international and domestic actors, these interpretations of Hungarian history restore to prominence the interwar-era ‘populist-urbanist’ cleavage, and allow Orbán to create an exclusionary image of Hungarian nationalism. Thus, this serves to legitimize Orbán and Fidesz, while denying opposition parties from both the right and the left the opportunity to stake claims to being true representatives of the Hungarian people.

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Author Biographies

Michael Toomey, University of Glasgow

Michael Toomey é professor de Política e Relações Internacionais na Universidade de Glasgow. Ele possui doutorado em Temas Globais na Universidade Rutgers (2015). O professor exerceu a docência nas universidades de Aberystwyth, Reading, Limerick e Wenzhou-Kean. Ele atualmente é professor de Defesa da Democracia na União Europeia, Direitos Humanos na Política Global e Relações  Internacionais. Fonte: https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-toomey-1397424. Acesso em 23 set 2024.

Fernando Cauduro Pureza, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

Professor Adjunto da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. Professor do Programa de Pós-Graduação de História pela Universidade Federal da Paraíba (PPGH-UFPB). Coordenador do Grupo de Estudos e Pesquisa em História do Trabalho (GEPEHTO). Coordenador do projeto Observatório da Ásia (OASIA-UFRN).

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Published

2024-10-01

How to Cite

TOOMEY, M.; PUREZA, F. C. History, Nationalism and Democracy:: Myth and Narrative in Viktor Orbán’s ‘Illiberal Hungary. Saeculum, [S. l.], v. 29, n. 50, p. 223–245, 2024. DOI: 10.22478/ufpb.2317-6725.2024v29n50.71514. Disponível em: https://periodicos.ufpb.br/index.php/srh/article/view/71514. Acesso em: 16 oct. 2024.