CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2011
| Author | Gregor, Anikó |
|---|---|
| Title | From 'quantity' to 'quality': the politics of reproduction in state socialist Hungary (1948-1989) |
| Summary | My thesis examines the changing emphasis in reproductive policies during the state socialist Hungary. First, by applying the theoretical framework of politics of reproduction I analyze how politics influenced reproductive behavior and what kind of differences can be identified between the two periods in this process. By analyzing transcripts and reports of the meetings of the Hungarian Politburo and important regulations on population issues I argue that while in the Stalinist period (1948-1956) the quantity of the fertility, namely that more and more children should be born was more important for the policymakers than the social composition of it, in the Kádár regime officials thought that less children should be born and only for providing the replacement level but the social origin and background, and in this sense the quality of children became more important issue. Second, I point out the ways how reproduction itself made politics in these regimes. I argue that in both periods reproductive policies served as tools through which the political legitimacy of the existent system could be reached. In the Stalinist regime officials used decisions on reproductive policies in order to express their responsibility towards mothers and children, in a sense towards the future of Hungary and this emphasis played a significant role in the political legitimizing of the system. In the Kádár regime positive financial incentives, like the paid childcare allowance and grant fit the consumerist context of 'goulash-communism' which played an important role in the legitimacy of the regime. These incentives also helped distance the Kádár regime from its Stalinist predecessor. |
| Supervisor | Fodor, Eva |
| Department | Gender Studies MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2011/gregor_aniko.pdf |
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