Karl Marx’s Theory of Revolution Vol V. Hal Draper

in European society and the political conclusions they drew from these assumptions. The task is not made easier by Marx and Engels’ imprecise use of language. In this early passage, of course, it is the idea, not just the language, that is imprecise.

* Franz Mehring, in his biography of Marx, has a passage which explains the politics of the war with Denmark very well. He does not mention, however, Engels initial support for the Danes. It is a good example of Mehring’s consistent downplaying or belittling of Marx and Engels anti-Prussianism.

* A detailed discussion of the references by other writers to Marx and Engels on “the National Question in 1848” would be digressive in this chapter. These views are taken up in Special Note A.

* A word on the use of the terms ‛Hungary’ and ‘Magyar’ in 1848. Generally speaking, ‘Magyar’ refers to an ethnic group speaking a non-Indo-European language akin neither to that of the Germans or Slavs who surrounded them. ‘Hungary’ refers both to a geographical area and to the traditional kingdom of the Magyars. The distinction is important because the Magyar ethnic group was a privileged minority within the kingdom of Hungary. They were the largest minority in a country of minorities. The political significance in 1848 was that the revolutionaries claimed to be fighting for a state in which all citizens were equal. The ‘Hungarians’ were the citizens of this ‘Hungarian’ state regardless of ethnic group.

      But the legacy of centuries of Magyar privilege could not be overcome in a few months. A particularly thorny issue was the insistence of the revolutionary government on Magyar as the official language. Nevertheless, the claim that the revolutionaries were fighting for a modern national state based on equality before the law was not just propaganda. The militant support of the Jewish minority for the revolutionary government despite the widespread and virulent antisemitism of Magyars and non-Magyars alike was noted by all. The question of the response of the Slavic, German and Romanian minorities to the revolution is more controversial and will be dealt with later.

      Engels most often used the term Hungarian and Hungarian revolution.