Post WW2 1957 Daily Worker Socialist Pamphlet “Eye Witness In Hungary”

For sale is a Post WW2 1957 Daily Worker Socialist Pamphlet “Eye Witness In Hungary” By Charlie Coutts. 

The foreword states:

“January 1st, 1957

In response to the demands of many readers of the Daily Worker. we are republishing the articles of Charlie Coutts.

Without agreeing with all Charlie's judgments, the articles give a clearer picture of the Hungarian rising than any which have appeared in the British Press.

I believe that they will suggest to most politically minded readers that there was a strong element of counter-revolution in the mass movement right from the start.

Organised groups soon appeared who not only knew where to get arms and transport but also where to direct their attacks against Party and State institutions.

There is little doubt that these groups were being strongly reinforced from outside; were consolidating their position; were steadily pushing the Government to the Right and were engaged in extensive White Terror against Communists, until they were suppressed by the second Soviet intervention.

The most favourable result that could have accrued (given the non-intervention of the Soviets) would have been a prolonged civil war, in which the Western inspired counter-revolution would have received still more massive assistance from outside, in order to further tip the balance against the working class. In that situation a slide to World War III was inevitable.

The Soviet Union would have incurred a terrible responsibility if it allowed that situation to develop.

The working class was without leadership and was an easy prey to the reactionaries. This was due to the split in the Party, which had led to virtual impotence on the eve of the uprising.

A bitter internal conflict had been waged in the Party for

several years-a conflict in which the contending groups were so

imbued with the necessity of defeating each other that they did not see in time the danger of the reaction profiting from their quarrels. Reaction open and concealed was still strong and a powerful campaign should have been waged against it. Instead it was virtually ignored, a deeply discredited Security Police allowed it to continue its way unimpeded.

In view of the uprising, the Daily Worker must face the question as to whether there were grave errors in its previous estimation of the People's Democracy in Hungary.

There can be no doubt that we tended to see only the favourable side of developments and did not see the perversion of the security forces from their function of defeating the counter-revolution into a body which also repressed the people of Hungary.”

This isn’t in the best condition, unfortunately this is quite delicate and the front and back page is loose. All pages are present. 

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