János Kis
Encyclopedia
János Kis is a Hungarian
philosopher and political scientist.
Kis was born in Budapest
, Hungary. He graduated from Philosophy
at the Eötvös Loránd University in 1967. Kis was inspired by the ideas of György Lukács, and became marxist in the 1960's. He joined the Hungarian Communist Party
(MSZMP) too. In 1973 he was dismissed as a researcher at the Institute of Philosophy at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
after co-authoring a book criticizing Marxist socialism from leftist point of view. He was excluded from the MSZMP as well.
On radical leftist and human-rights-liberal basis, he strongly opposed the communist regime in Hungary, he helped to create the first opposition journal Beszélő which was first issued in December 1981. He was the Editor-in-Chief of this underground journal
until the democratization of the country in 1989. He was also member of the democratic opposition party Alliance of Free Democrats
(SzDSz).
From 1988 to 1989 he was visiting professor at the New School for Social Research in New York City
.
After the fall of communism in 1989-1990, the SzDSz entered the democratic Parliament and Kis was elected as the party leader in 23 February 1990. He remained in this office until 23 November 1991, when he left active politics and returned to an academic career. However, he remained in the SzDSz. Forgeting his prior promises and giving up his opposition to Communism, he welcomed the coalition of the SzDSz with the former communist's party (MSZP).
In 1992, he became a professor at the Central European University
. Since 1996, he has also been a visiting professor at New York University
.
He left the SzDSz in 2002, when the socialist prime minister, Peter Medgyessy
proved to be a former officer of the communist secret service (officer D-209). However, the SzDSz stayed in coalition with the MSZP.
Kis has written numerous articles and books on political science, such as Politics as a Moral Problem. Despite having left the political arena years ago, he continues to take controversial positions on several issues.
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
philosopher and political scientist.
Kis was born in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Hungary. He graduated from Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
at the Eötvös Loránd University in 1967. Kis was inspired by the ideas of György Lukács, and became marxist in the 1960's. He joined the Hungarian Communist Party
Hungarian Communist Party
The Communist Party of Hungary , renamed Hungarian Communist Party in 1945, was founded on November 24, 1918, and was in power in Hungary briefly from March to August 1919 under Béla Kun and the Hungarian Soviet Republic. The communist government was overthrown by the Romanian Army and driven...
(MSZMP) too. In 1973 he was dismissed as a researcher at the Institute of Philosophy at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
Hungarian Academy of Sciences
The Hungarian Academy of Sciences is the most important and prestigious learned society of Hungary. Its seat is at the bank of the Danube in Budapest.-History:...
after co-authoring a book criticizing Marxist socialism from leftist point of view. He was excluded from the MSZMP as well.
On radical leftist and human-rights-liberal basis, he strongly opposed the communist regime in Hungary, he helped to create the first opposition journal Beszélő which was first issued in December 1981. He was the Editor-in-Chief of this underground journal
Samizdat
Samizdat was a key form of dissident activity across the Soviet bloc in which individuals reproduced censored publications by hand and passed the documents from reader to reader...
until the democratization of the country in 1989. He was also member of the democratic opposition party Alliance of Free Democrats
Alliance of Free Democrats
The Alliance of Free Democrats – Hungarian Liberal Party is a liberal party in Hungary, led since July 2010 by Viktor Szabadai . The SZDSZ is a member of the ELDR and of Liberal International...
(SzDSz).
From 1988 to 1989 he was visiting professor at the New School for Social Research in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
After the fall of communism in 1989-1990, the SzDSz entered the democratic Parliament and Kis was elected as the party leader in 23 February 1990. He remained in this office until 23 November 1991, when he left active politics and returned to an academic career. However, he remained in the SzDSz. Forgeting his prior promises and giving up his opposition to Communism, he welcomed the coalition of the SzDSz with the former communist's party (MSZP).
In 1992, he became a professor at the Central European University
Central European University
For other uses, see European University Central European University is a graduate-level, English-language university offering degrees in the social sciences, humanities, law, public policy, business management, environmental science, and mathematics...
. Since 1996, he has also been a visiting professor at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
.
He left the SzDSz in 2002, when the socialist prime minister, Peter Medgyessy
Péter Medgyessy
Péter Medgyessy is a Hungarian politician and was the fifth Prime Minister of the Republic of Hungary from May 27, 2002 until September 29, 2004...
proved to be a former officer of the communist secret service (officer D-209). However, the SzDSz stayed in coalition with the MSZP.
Kis has written numerous articles and books on political science, such as Politics as a Moral Problem. Despite having left the political arena years ago, he continues to take controversial positions on several issues.
Sources
- Biography at the New York University Website
- Gale Stokes, The Walls Came Tumbling Down(New York: Oxford University Press, 1993), 88-89.
- Kis János- Hungarian Wikipedia-article: http://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kis_J%C3%A1nos