The Driving Forces of Regionalism in Hungary

Abstract

Nowadays a quite actual question is how to carry on the Hungarian regionalization. This study aims to assist in the establishment of the decision by discussing the ideological and spatial theory basis of regionalization, and by the evaluation of the European new regionalization and the Hungarian practice. It proves that the base of the actual dominant view is materialist, Marxist and neoliberalist. In this aspect the transition of 1990 did not bring about paradigm changes in this field. Facing this opinion we recognize the decisional nature of developing regions but current processes lack the imperative material or real factual fundaments.

Thus it is necessary to develop an alternative ideological founding and the use of a practical approach. When discussing the Hungarian relations the study shows the nationalistic cultural bases of the Hungarian regionalization do not exist since Trianon treaty. There is no reason even by the spatial dimension of the actual economic processes to establish regions below national level. In Hungary regionalization occurs mainly in scientific and political discussions. The driving-force is not the establishment of more efficient and democtratic state-strucutre, and the autonomous regional political environment, but in the highest degree the external European Union pragmatist factors. According to the author the "European new regionalism" has started to blown, and it is doubtful that without European Union support the inner impulsive forces will be able to carry on the regionalism, which will be decided by the power fight of non equal bodies.