Democratic Participation and the Morals of Authority

A literature review of Hungarian sources shows that social needs are satisfied unequally under a system of preferences. The need for participation in local political life is subordinate to the satisfaction of everyday biological & social requirements. As such, the participation of most Hungarians on the local level is limited to voting, while the demand for a voice in public affairs & the control over elected representatives are largely absent. Current economic conditions focus people's attention on more basic needs. Thus, elected officials are free to follow their own conscience in the use or abuse of authority & in consulting the opinions of their constituency. To investigate leadership styles, questionnaire data were obtained in 1996 from 394 local urban government leaders. Multivariable analysis showed three dominant styles: (1) technocratic, 62.8%; (2) consensus-oriented, 28.2%; & (3) elite lobbyist, 8.9%. The persistence of socioeconomic inequalities led to serious differences of interest complicating the accommodation of divergent interests & the creation of consensus. 2 Tables, 1 Appendix, 9 References. M. Meeks