Re-Embedding and Disembedding in Post-Socialist Hungary: An Analysis of Orbanism from a Polanyian Perspective

Abstract

The rise of populist authoritarianism is a substantial reversal of the liberal democratic path in Central and Eastern Europe, including Hungary. What explains Hungary’s authoritarian turn toward Orbánism and what are the components of Orbánism that consolidate its claim to power? This paper uses a Polányian perspective and argues that the populist authoritarian turn occurred in the context of the social dislocation of the post-socialist transition period in the 1990s and 2000s. Viktor Orbán and Fidesz’ populist authoritarianism filled a political vacuum by offering a new re-embedding strategy for the population, which included material (full employment, family policy, remittances) and ideological (ethnic nationalism, xenophobia, Christian conservatism) policies. However, Orbánism has contradictory implications, because (1) material embedding takes the form of a punitive and highly conditional workfare regime, and (2) the regime simultaneously advances “disembedding” features including pro-oligarchic, pro-foreign investor, pro-rich, anti-union and anti-welfare policies. As a result, Orbán’s power consolidation is premised on political authoritarianism to prevent any expected discontent from threatening the regime.