The Maria Theresa effect ... she can't be blamed for everything ! Where are the Magyars? One of the axes upon which Hungary was split up, by the Allies, following the Trianon agreement of 1920, was along ethnic lines. A question arises as to just how Hungary could have developed into a country with so many ethnic groups bunched together within a relatively restricted part of the European territory. Some part of the explanation can be traced back to reforms initiated and carried through under Charles and his daughter Maria Theresa (1717–80) the Austrian archduchess, queen of Bohemia and Hungary (1740–80). Under Charles and Maria Theresa Hungary experienced an economic decline. Large parts of the country were almost deserted. In order to develop agricultural estates there was a need for labour and the Habsburgs began to encourage the colonization of Hungary with large numbers of peasants from all over Europe and in particular Slovaks, Serbs, Croatians and Germans. Many Jews immigrated from Vienna and the Polish territories towards the end of the century. This influx of people of other nationalities was massive and resulted in the population of Hungary rising, more than threefold, to 8 million within just 67 years, between 1720 to 1787. Even before this influx the so-called ethnic Magyar population was not a majority and this influx during a short period of just 67 years signifciantly reduced as a proportion of Magyars in the total population to a minority. Roma were first reported in Hungary some 400 years before in 1383. They were so prevalent by the early 15th Century, and welcome, that King Sigismund of Hungary (1417-1423) issued safe-conduct orders at Spis Castle for Roma. As a result a varied distribution of minority peoples emerged in the territories around Hungary's periphery. Many Romaninans entered Transylvania during this same period. However, the colonization of Hungary was in reality too successful in its objective of achieving a mass migration into Hungary. This eventually resulted in under-employment and an inability of the landowners to absorb such an influx and provide adequate employment. Unfortunately, no equivalent concerns resulted in the develoment of industry and as a result there was a serious lack of alternative employment, off the land. This created a crisis resulting in serfs abandoning their smallholdings. This created a significant non-farm-owning rural population which even today is a characteristic of Hungarian rural regions. Most so-called colonists lost their languages and took up Hungarian and today their descendents identify themselves as Hungarians. However, a signifciant segment of these minorities maintained an ethnic allegiance in the face of what they considered to be aggressive assimilation policies by the state. These segments had rudimentary political representation and this took advantage of the outcome of the first world war to lobby for the split up of Hungarian territory, as was implemented under the Trianon. The Cigány (Gypsies, Roma) The oldest and most significant minority in Hungary, present for over 600 years, are those Hungarian Gypsies, Cigány, known specifically as Romungro. The Romungro during this same period were subjected to edicts by Maria Theresa and an aggressive policy of assimilation including cash incentives for young people to enter into mixed Hungarian and Cigány marriages, Cigány children were removed from families to be fostered by non-Cigány households and the Romungro were forbidden to use their distinct language Cigány (Romani). On a more positive note Maria Theresa declared the Romungro to be no longer Cigány but The New Hungarians! One of the paradoxical outcomes in the subsequent period, up to the present date, is that the Hungarian Cigány, also known as Romungro or Musical Gypsies, have been the most loyal of Hungarian subjects. During the last 230 years they did what was asked of them. For example, today they are entirely monolingual, only speaking Hungarian. A significant proportion of the Hungarian population contains a mixture of Cigány and other genotypes as a direct result of natural associations and the policy of mixed marriages promoted by Maria Theresa'a policies to encourage such unions. Today the Romungro population has a wide range of genotypes from what the untrained eye would call Hungarian, some with blond, blue eyed and a light coloured skin, through all gradations to those with darker skins, black hair and brown eyes. Indeed, a significant proportion of Romungro are not even recognised as Cigány by most mainstream Hungarians. With the coming and going of Trianon the Romungro continued to sustain their total loyalty to Hungary in silence and, at the same time continued to be generally ignored by the Hungarian population. One of the most remarkable realities in Hungary today is that most Hungarians have very little contact or appreciation of the Cigány but harbour the most fanciful and normally undeserved negative stereotypes concerning them. This is a shocking reality when it is realised that the Cigány have been part for Hungarian society for well over 600 years. Significant proportions of the other minorities reacted to what they considered to be aggressive policies of assimilation and, with Trianon, contributed to Hungary being broken up and reduced to 33% of its former size. The Cigány however continued to work where best they could and created no problems. On the other hand the Hungarian governments have continued to create problems for the Cigány through an incessant assault on the Romungro and subsequently on the Olassi Cigány (Olah). The Olah came to Hungary during the last centurty from Romania following their release from some 500 years of slavery in Romania, the longest enslavement of any ethnic group in the history of the world. The reward for loyalty, abuse and insults Even today, as Hungarians welcome the fact they will join the European Union, they continue to attack the Cigány. This is most easy to see in the proactive policy of segregated educational denial of Roma children, largely in rural regions. The Hungarian governments, since 1989, have intensified the payment of a bribe to local authorities to separate normal Cigány children from normal schools and force them into so-called special schools where they receive no education. Because they receive no effective instruction they do not gain a school leaving certificate and are unable even to start secondary school. During the last decade the Hungarian government has invested over Euro 1 billion in this policy of racial discrimination. Since 1989 the number of Roma children in special schools has risen by over 400% and it now affects 45% of all Cigány children and especially those in rural regions. The rest of the Cigány children in rural regions normally go to other forms of segregated schools. Because such children have no chance of obtaining school leaving certificates they are debarred from professional training courses and higher education. Hungarians have the very bad and insulting habit of shaking their heads and lamenting the fact that the Cigány are uneducated. Of course they are, this is the result of a covert and effective government policy of racial discrimination designed specifically to inflict harm upon the Cigány. There even exist reports produced by academics which talk of the problem of the Cigány's lack of appreciation of the value of education and of the Cigány being a social problem. The Maria Theresa effect? Whereas the Hungarians might be able to blame Maria Theresa for the multi-ethnic foundation which gave rise to the dismemberment of Hungary they cannot blame the Cigány for any disloyalty during this period. Indeed the Cigány have only done what was demanded and, as usual, have received nothing in return. Indeed, even worse, they continue to be harmed intentionally by bad Hungarian leadership and administrations. What is of particular concern, with Hungary joining the European Union, is that this continuing behaviour reflects a serious lack of respect for humanity and basic human rights. Governance in Hungary runs on a foundationm of primitive collectivism which remains oblivious of the real impacts of such behaviour on the future of Hungary and indeed, the European Union. What future Hungary? The Hungarian population is declining and the Cigány population is rising. But with Cigány earning 20% of the mainstream there is a significant economic performance deficit in Hungary which is a direct result of this racist policy. The direct cost, as measured in deficits in earning capacity resulting from educational and training denial, come to some Euro 3 billion each year for the Hungarian economy and this deficit rises each year. The Hungarians effecting and supporting this policy, one day will retire, and they will end up with a miserable old age as the real value of their pensions decline as a direct result of the Hungarian economy being unable to sustain their real incomes. This will be the direct result of a seriously flawed human resources educational and training policy used to harm the Cigány. The Hungarians could of course re-initiate the Maria Theresa solution and re-initiate colonization. But why, when there is a robust population of Hungarian Cigány available to support the future growth of Hungary and help it become competitive within the European Union? Ethnic Hungarians? The Hungarian governments have made a show of their concern for Hungarian nationals living in other countries as a direct outcome of the Trianon agreement. This is especially the case in Slovakia and Romania (Transylvania). They wish to enable such Hungarians the right to work in Hungary under the terms of something called the Status law. Some of the motivation for this comes from the realization on the part of some in government of the true predicament facing the Hungarian economy is trained manpower. A considerable number of the Hungarian nationals in these other countries are in fact Romungro. However, government spokespersons, in their official declarations slide from talking about Hungarian national minorities, to talking specifically about ethnic Hungarians or even Magyars. A large proportion of the foreign Hungarians separated by Trianon were already less than 30% Magyar origin but were more a mix of races. Indeed many who consider themselves to be Magyar have a high percentage of Cigány in their genetic make up. Estimates of the proportion of true Magyars in the current Hungarian population, including those in other countries, and taking into account the current decline in population and rise in Cigány population in Slovakia, Romania and Hungary, would put the Magyars at something like 15% of the current population at most. Looking to the future The Hungarian government needs to stop flirting with Neo-Nazi dreams of a racial purity which does not exist. It needs to stop being so cruel to the Cigány, amongst the most loyal of Hungarian citizens. It needs to focus on the Hungarian reality and begin to clear up this tragic mess through proactive and positive actions. The Hungarian leadership needs to be reminded that Maria Theresa died almost 224 years ago and the descendents of the Cigány whom she declared to be the New Hungarians are still waiting to be treated with the due respect and equality of opportunity afforded other Hungarians.