Democratization in Hungary made room for the emergence of a flourishing civil sector. Efforts to build it up were boosted by foreign donors who believed that a strong civil society would help guarantee democratic values.
In recent years it has become clear that civil society as such does not necessarily pursue democratic aims. There is talk of two civil societies in Hungary – the good and the bad. The phenomenon of “bad civil society” refers to radical movements and groups, which meet all of the criteria of a civil organization, but, said Nizak, “do not work along democratic values or issues” (2). Many extreme right movements have been gaining strength in recent years and because they often fit within the definition of a civil organization, they can act as such, accessing public benefits, raising funds, amassing support etc. With the onset of the global crisis, “NGOs have become increasingly active in public life, but not necessarily in a positive way. There are several NGOs that are active, but politically and not in a health way,” said Nizak (2).
Radical tendencies became detectable within Hungarian civil society in 2006 and 2007 and have continued to intensify since. The openly xenophobic, anti-Semitic and anti-Roma Hungarian Guard, likened to Hitler’s brownshirts in Nazi Germany, was registered as an association. It had many volunteers, local supporters, donors and was active in public life – all the typical features of a civil organization. In December 2008, the Court of Budapest disbanded the organization stating that its activities were against human rights as guaranteed by the constitution. This is just one example of the radical groups that have been growing in number and popularity within Hungarian civil society in recent years.
Similarly, there are numerous civil associations in Hungary, which serve entirely political purposes. The deep political divisions in society are reflected in the NGO sector, with numerous organizations linked to political parties.
The “bad” portion of civil society has also contributed to the creation of a negative public image of the third sector as a whole in Hungary.
“Bad civil society” is a new phenomenon in Hungary and a poses a real challenge to the third sector: “What can we do with the enemy of freedom who uses the tools of democratic institutions and states?” asked Nizak (2).
