from an interview of Budapester Zeitung with Piroska Nagy, teacher, photographer
B.Z.: What was the essence of the Kádár era?
Piroska Nagy: The regime’s logic was: to be silent is always better. It’s healthier for you. You don’t have to talk about all kinds of things, it’s not that important. What matters is that the standard of living here is higher than in neighboring socialist countries. You are just fine! You can watch western films here! They also turn a blind eye if you go home from work early in the afternoon…
B.Z.: Is this imprint of the Kádár regime still there today?
P.N.: Yes, I think, this attitude was and is still passed on from generation to generation. It is because of this Kádárist trade-off of freedom for comfort, that Orbán was able to push through many of his agendas in Hungary.