Radio Diary

Press, 25 August 1986, Page 19

Radio Diary

“Not So Long Ago,” the 8.8. C. series which focuses on events which made recent world history, this week looks at the Hungarian uprising of 1956. (National, tomorrow, 8.5 p.m.). Not so long ago, indeed. Janos Kadar, who took over the leadership of Hungary when the uprising was quelled, is still at the helm. The economic success of Hungary in the last 30 years has drawn the attention, if not the admiration, of Western observers, and recently a delegation from “Time” magazine made the pilgrimage to Budapest, where they were favoured with an audience and an interview with the ageing leader. It is natural to associate the “economic miracle” with the man who leads the country.

Kadar was seen in a somewhat different light in the heady days of 1956. Then the hero was the freedom fighter, and the next-best thing to a freedom fighter was a refugee.

The West welcomed the refugees, but apart from that did nothing (perhaps realistically could do nothing) except score propaganda points. Tomorrow’s programme will revive memories of the uprising with material recorded at the time.

The programme is presented by Geoffrey Stern, a lecturer at the London School of Economics.

It is followed at 9 p.m. by the final of the six “Reith Lectures” given by David Henderson, who argues for a greater use of economics in political decision making.

His final lecture is entitled “Markets, States and Economics.”

It would be interesting to know how cricket fans are fitting sleep in these days. Relief is in sight for them — the final test between England and New Zealand finishes tomorrow night. As usual a ball-by-ball commentary will be broadcast on the Community Network from 10 p.m. till 5 a.m.—John Hickey.