cpr
Well-known member
Round 1
Imre Nagy
V
Nelson Mandela
Imre Nagy
June 7, 1896 – June 16, 1958
Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the People's Republic of Hungary
July 4, 1953 – April 18, 1955
October 24, 1956 – November 4, 1956
Nominated by HeathDavisSpeed
Seconded by Chubb
Nelson Mandela
born 18 July 1918
President of South Africa
27 April 1994 – 14 June 1999
Nominated by NUFAN
Seconded by Anil
Now for the discourse, only one appointee has offered to get on the campaign and mount the soapbox, here's Heath looking for your hearts and votes
Have you ever lived in a Dictatorship? Chances are you haven't. In the early 1950s, however, the people of Hungary lived in fear of the constant threat of
their "Security Police" (�VH). Under the brutal Mátyás Rákosi, Hungarian citizens were regularly denounced and forced into slave labour; often not even in
their own country. In a single year, over 26,000 were forceably relocated from Budapest into forced labour. It is against this backdrop that Imre Nagy
attempted to break the mould.
Following the death of Stalin in 1953, the brutal edge of Communism was being dulled during which a number of Eastern European Communist parties developed a
reform movement. In Hungary, the spearhead of this movement was Imre Nagy. Nagy became Prime Minister of Hungary in 1955, with Rakosi remaining the General
Secretary and effective leader of the country. During this period, Nagy repeatedly attempted to introduce reforms, particularly in the education system and
was given a remit by the Soviet leadership to remove the instruments of the Rakosi Cult of Personality. Nagy's leadership was constantly undermined by
Rakosi who remained a figurehead for Stalinites and strict adherants to Communism who did not like the idea of Nagy's reforms. Rakosi's work behind the
scenery saw Nagy banished from the Communist Party and sacked as Prime Minister.
Rather than weakening Nagy's position, this strengthened his resolve and belief in his reforms. Following a student revolt in Budapest in 1956,
against the Stalinist government the Soviet Union were convinced to dispense with Rakosi and to reinstate Nagy as Prime Minister.
Nagy, initially appealed to the public for calm yet he quickly realised the strength of public opinion against the old regime and the Soviets and set up
a broad government which included some non-communist ministers. Nagy immediately abolished both the hated �VH and the one-party system.
Nagy considered his aim to be that Hungary should be a neutral, multiparty social democracy. This meant that many political prisoners, who were incarcerated
under Rakosi were released. Nagy also legalised previously banned Political parties and allowed them to join the coalition.
For 10 days, Nagy's government stood as a shining beacon in the Eastern European political landscape; but the whole time the Soviet Army stood on the fringes
of Hungary awaiting the order to invade. Then, on the 1st November 1956, Imre Nagy received assurances from Yuri Andropov (later to become leader of the
Soviet Union) that these troops would not attack. As a result, Nagy withdrew from the Warsaw Pact and declared Hungary's neutrality.
The Soviets invaded on the 4th November, and despite receiving assurances that he would be unharmed, Nagy was arrested and secretly executed.
Nagy had ultimately failed in his aim, but for 10 days had the strength to give Hungary the freedom that it had been looking for. He'd stood up against the
might of the secret police and the Soviet forces, but ultimately failed
His legacy continued though. Nagy gave hope to the masses throughout his time in power; he was even called "Imre Bacsi" — Uncle Imre — by a significant
number of Hungarians. It can also be argued that without Imre Nagy there probably would have been no Mikhail Gorbachev, Glasnost or Perestroika. Many of the
ideas that Nagy had brought in during his brief tenure were replicated 30 years later as the final curtain was drawn on the Soviet Union.
Criticism of Mandela
So, you've become one of the most powerful men in the world, elected on a wave of euphoria and with a remit to dismantle the instruments of Apartheid.
That's great, and a rip-roaring success to boot. Great stuff, Nelson my lad.
But what an introverted little man. He's more than willing to fix the bias and decades of abuses in South Africa, but he stands idly by with only a word
or two to say about repeated abuses and atrocities against all colours in Zimbabwe, and doesn't dare mention the impact of land reforms which seem to be
sweeping through Southern African states like wildfire. Well, I guess your standing in the eyes of your fellow African leaders is that important so you
don't want to upset the applecart too much.
Secondly, isn't it great that you realise your mistake when its too late to do anything about it? On the 9th January 2005, Mandela himself admitted that
he may well have failed his own people by not doing enough about the AIDS epidemic when he was South African leader. AIDS charities have also repeatedly
criticised his government's lack of activity on this subject. The AIDS epidemic has reduced life expectancy in South Africa from a peak of 63 years in 1991
down to 46 in 2003. During the years of his presidency, Mandela presided over a reduction of life expectancy of 12 years! 12 years in an economically sound
period. Each citizen of South Africa would live, on average, 12 years less at the end of his presidency compared to the start. That's a huge change.
Mandela's Minister of Health, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma once spent the equivalent of $4 million on a theatrical production that was supposed to tour the
country advising people on how to avoid AIDS which never happened. $4m and Mandela did nothing about it when that misspending came to light. Similarly, he
was very quiet on the matter when his same minister later announced that scientists had "found a cure for AIDS" without having submitted the claim to normal
scrutiny. So, not only laissez-faire on the matter, but his government presided over some extremely counter-productive impacts.
Also, despite Mandela being widely seen as a humanitarian, he has continued to support the diamond industry in Southern Africa. This criticism is based on
Mandela having South Africa's self-interest in the diamond industry at heart rather than the needs and safety concerns of the workers. His long standing
friendship with former senior directors at De Beers (diamond company) has only served to enhance this view.
Its de-rigeur to use Mandela to support the Cause de Jour and you always see him popping to voice his support for this, that and the other and sure, his
achievements could be considered monumental. On the other hand, given the celebrity that surrounds him, it almost seems impossible to vote against him.
Scratch the surface and you might just find that Mandela isn't the rip-roaring success the media likes to make him out to be. Mandela's two legacies will
be a free South Africa, but a South Africa where disease is rampant and that people will live shorter lives than under an effective police state. In the
long term, Mandela will be remembered as much for his failures on AIDS as for his success in the removal of apartheid. And so, considering this - vote
Imre Nagy; an irrepressible man who stood up against the might of the Soviet Union at its height and for 10 glorious days showed Eastern Europe what it
felt like to be free.
Rousing book, sorry, speech by Mr HD Speed (Nagy Party) there.
Others can have their retort attached to this post
Folks, the polls are open, 24 hours 45 minutes to get them votes in
Tomorrow shall see another big battle. The Fredfertang/age_master team's Haile Selassie take on the mighty name of John F Kennedy from the Anil/Jamee999 camp. Will anyone take up the challenge of leading their boy home? email cpraftery@cricketmail.net with the PR
Imre Nagy
V
Nelson Mandela
Imre Nagy
June 7, 1896 – June 16, 1958
Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the People's Republic of Hungary
July 4, 1953 – April 18, 1955
October 24, 1956 – November 4, 1956
Nominated by HeathDavisSpeed
Seconded by Chubb
Nelson Mandela
born 18 July 1918
President of South Africa
27 April 1994 – 14 June 1999
Nominated by NUFAN
Seconded by Anil
Now for the discourse, only one appointee has offered to get on the campaign and mount the soapbox, here's Heath looking for your hearts and votes
Have you ever lived in a Dictatorship? Chances are you haven't. In the early 1950s, however, the people of Hungary lived in fear of the constant threat of
their "Security Police" (�VH). Under the brutal Mátyás Rákosi, Hungarian citizens were regularly denounced and forced into slave labour; often not even in
their own country. In a single year, over 26,000 were forceably relocated from Budapest into forced labour. It is against this backdrop that Imre Nagy
attempted to break the mould.
Following the death of Stalin in 1953, the brutal edge of Communism was being dulled during which a number of Eastern European Communist parties developed a
reform movement. In Hungary, the spearhead of this movement was Imre Nagy. Nagy became Prime Minister of Hungary in 1955, with Rakosi remaining the General
Secretary and effective leader of the country. During this period, Nagy repeatedly attempted to introduce reforms, particularly in the education system and
was given a remit by the Soviet leadership to remove the instruments of the Rakosi Cult of Personality. Nagy's leadership was constantly undermined by
Rakosi who remained a figurehead for Stalinites and strict adherants to Communism who did not like the idea of Nagy's reforms. Rakosi's work behind the
scenery saw Nagy banished from the Communist Party and sacked as Prime Minister.
Rather than weakening Nagy's position, this strengthened his resolve and belief in his reforms. Following a student revolt in Budapest in 1956,
against the Stalinist government the Soviet Union were convinced to dispense with Rakosi and to reinstate Nagy as Prime Minister.
Nagy, initially appealed to the public for calm yet he quickly realised the strength of public opinion against the old regime and the Soviets and set up
a broad government which included some non-communist ministers. Nagy immediately abolished both the hated �VH and the one-party system.
Nagy considered his aim to be that Hungary should be a neutral, multiparty social democracy. This meant that many political prisoners, who were incarcerated
under Rakosi were released. Nagy also legalised previously banned Political parties and allowed them to join the coalition.
For 10 days, Nagy's government stood as a shining beacon in the Eastern European political landscape; but the whole time the Soviet Army stood on the fringes
of Hungary awaiting the order to invade. Then, on the 1st November 1956, Imre Nagy received assurances from Yuri Andropov (later to become leader of the
Soviet Union) that these troops would not attack. As a result, Nagy withdrew from the Warsaw Pact and declared Hungary's neutrality.
The Soviets invaded on the 4th November, and despite receiving assurances that he would be unharmed, Nagy was arrested and secretly executed.
Nagy had ultimately failed in his aim, but for 10 days had the strength to give Hungary the freedom that it had been looking for. He'd stood up against the
might of the secret police and the Soviet forces, but ultimately failed
His legacy continued though. Nagy gave hope to the masses throughout his time in power; he was even called "Imre Bacsi" — Uncle Imre — by a significant
number of Hungarians. It can also be argued that without Imre Nagy there probably would have been no Mikhail Gorbachev, Glasnost or Perestroika. Many of the
ideas that Nagy had brought in during his brief tenure were replicated 30 years later as the final curtain was drawn on the Soviet Union.
Criticism of Mandela
So, you've become one of the most powerful men in the world, elected on a wave of euphoria and with a remit to dismantle the instruments of Apartheid.
That's great, and a rip-roaring success to boot. Great stuff, Nelson my lad.
But what an introverted little man. He's more than willing to fix the bias and decades of abuses in South Africa, but he stands idly by with only a word
or two to say about repeated abuses and atrocities against all colours in Zimbabwe, and doesn't dare mention the impact of land reforms which seem to be
sweeping through Southern African states like wildfire. Well, I guess your standing in the eyes of your fellow African leaders is that important so you
don't want to upset the applecart too much.
Secondly, isn't it great that you realise your mistake when its too late to do anything about it? On the 9th January 2005, Mandela himself admitted that
he may well have failed his own people by not doing enough about the AIDS epidemic when he was South African leader. AIDS charities have also repeatedly
criticised his government's lack of activity on this subject. The AIDS epidemic has reduced life expectancy in South Africa from a peak of 63 years in 1991
down to 46 in 2003. During the years of his presidency, Mandela presided over a reduction of life expectancy of 12 years! 12 years in an economically sound
period. Each citizen of South Africa would live, on average, 12 years less at the end of his presidency compared to the start. That's a huge change.
Mandela's Minister of Health, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma once spent the equivalent of $4 million on a theatrical production that was supposed to tour the
country advising people on how to avoid AIDS which never happened. $4m and Mandela did nothing about it when that misspending came to light. Similarly, he
was very quiet on the matter when his same minister later announced that scientists had "found a cure for AIDS" without having submitted the claim to normal
scrutiny. So, not only laissez-faire on the matter, but his government presided over some extremely counter-productive impacts.
Also, despite Mandela being widely seen as a humanitarian, he has continued to support the diamond industry in Southern Africa. This criticism is based on
Mandela having South Africa's self-interest in the diamond industry at heart rather than the needs and safety concerns of the workers. His long standing
friendship with former senior directors at De Beers (diamond company) has only served to enhance this view.
Its de-rigeur to use Mandela to support the Cause de Jour and you always see him popping to voice his support for this, that and the other and sure, his
achievements could be considered monumental. On the other hand, given the celebrity that surrounds him, it almost seems impossible to vote against him.
Scratch the surface and you might just find that Mandela isn't the rip-roaring success the media likes to make him out to be. Mandela's two legacies will
be a free South Africa, but a South Africa where disease is rampant and that people will live shorter lives than under an effective police state. In the
long term, Mandela will be remembered as much for his failures on AIDS as for his success in the removal of apartheid. And so, considering this - vote
Imre Nagy; an irrepressible man who stood up against the might of the Soviet Union at its height and for 10 glorious days showed Eastern Europe what it
felt like to be free.
Rousing book, sorry, speech by Mr HD Speed (Nagy Party) there.
Others can have their retort attached to this post
Folks, the polls are open, 24 hours 45 minutes to get them votes in
Tomorrow shall see another big battle. The Fredfertang/age_master team's Haile Selassie take on the mighty name of John F Kennedy from the Anil/Jamee999 camp. Will anyone take up the challenge of leading their boy home? email cpraftery@cricketmail.net with the PR
Don't think I'll be using your material!! I'm sure I can survive writing something for the Polish Walrus.