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Hungary has always been a destination for immigrants. After World War II, a weird thing happened -- most of our immigrants turned out to be Hungarians. This was because at that time Hungary lost the bigger part of its territory with the Trianon Peace Treaty. Many Hungarians from behind the new frontiers came back to their country.
This is the 40th piece I have written for PostGlobal, so to celebrate my own small anniversary, I am happy to discuss the Old Continent. We Hungarians have had a difficult time placing ourselves within Europe, particularly joining the European Union – a club originally formed by so-called “Western” states. Hungary spent much of the last century in the “Eastern Bloc” – the Soviet hemisphere, which is no more.
It always matters (a bit) who the elected politicians are, as they have the power to shape the future of any country. The problem is that their capabilities are limited because of two obstacles. The first is the limited number of years they can rule. It is hard to find a politician who would bother to act on trends that cannot be changed successfully within his/her 4-5 year term.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I understand that theoretically, the noted PostGlobal panelists know absolutely everything. Still, I must lift my hands and tell you: I haven’t the faintest idea why the financial markets are falling, and why they’re falling so sharply. From the position from which I am able to observe the financial markets, it seems that no rules govern the markets whatsoever, at least none that the trends seem to comply with. But maybe the only rules that can hold up are so complex that I severely lack the knowledge to understand what’s going on.
The Current Discussion:The global economy is quaking. Are we heading toward a global recession? Who's to blame?
Let’s be a little prudent with our prophecies. Most of them seem to be ridiculous after a bit of time has passed. Just one example: a leader of the Patent Office of a great country (guess which one?) said in 1900(!) that there was no need for his office any more since everything had already been discovered.
Unfortunately, economists have to calculate the future with every possible tool of their science—that is the one of the points of their profession. There have been some great economists who had quite a knack for foretelling the imminent changes of the economic processes. They can be regarded as the prophets of our age. Obviously, I don’t belong to this noted group, holding a simple law degree. But at the same time, as an author of fiction novels, my job is still related in an enigmatic way to guessing the future. So I’ll summon my courage and give an answer to this question.
Budapest -- Hungary (Eastern Europe) is a member of the EU. Thus, its agriculture is tied to the subsidies handed over by the relevant institutions of the community. Each year our farmers and food processing companies believe that this has been the worst year ever. And, every year has seemed to be the worst year ever. Still, I think Hungary is quite well off when it comes to eating and drinking. In this area, the last famine was in the mid-war period.
Living in a relatively well fed part of the world, I can have an opinion about the subject of food shortages even if it is a result of looking around on this globe with relatively open eyes, ears and mind. I think the job of feeding every human being in the world these days is as serious a problem as global warming, and I cannot understand why experts and politicians talk much less about it.
The so-called civilized countries with the over packed malls, food stores and fast food restaurant chains should make up their mind and send some of their surplus to the needy before they would come over to get it.
I would not be surprised if the hungry people of Africa would show up in huge crowds in Spain or Italy or Greece. Traveling on handmade ships and rafts, it could not be an impossible endeavor to cross the Adriatic Sea. Similarly, the Chinese could start to wander northward, and I know that some mountains may be an obstacle, but still, there are good climbers and guides over there, not to mention the skilled sherpas.
This problem has a great impact on every region in the world, and in the future will have an even greater impact. I know it is ridiculous to hope that the UN or any other international organization can solve the enormous inequality in eating and drinking. But all the nations where most citizens are able to eat enough should unite on the food front to do something. Today's food riots may otherwise seem to be minor upheavals compared what we will have to cope with quite soon.
Until my words are heard by those who have the power to act, I think I'll go on a serious diet, just to feel myself a little bit better.
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