ABSTRACTS


Tardos, Róbert
Sociological Attempts of Reflection on the Micro–Macro Problem

The paper aims to tackle some current issues of social research discussion raised by the micro-macro problem in recent decades. Making a distinction between several aspects of the problem such as the scope of object, the (individualistic vs. holistic) character of approach and the treatment of transition between micro and macro (or the other way), it concentrates on the former two facets (and primarily the second one). Ontological questions such as those on the priority between the micro and macro sides are ignored, on the other hand, for their sterility. After outlining a broad theoretical-historical background and presenting a tentative scheme of the micro and macro approaches in the field of sociology the study illustrates the differences by the example of the stages of career and the latest works of one of the leading contemporary macro-sociologists Peter Blau. Giving a brief overview of the basic concepts of his differentiation theory it focuses attention on the central role of emergent properties in his conceptualisation of social structure and on the twin notion of ‘intersection/consolidation’ in his substantive theory of crosscutting social circles. The section on Blau is concluded by a presentation of his debate with an outstanding figure of the other camp James Coleman sharply illuminating some focal traits of the micro and macro platforms.

With a reference to this debate, the paper raises the question of the sociological tenability of the basic standpoints of methodological individualism taken in a strict sense. It also argues, from a practical point of view, for a transitory differentiation of the micro and macro types of sociological theory-building. The author takes account of some recent methodological developments as well (among others the latest solutions to the ecological inference problem) that may consolidate the previously uneven empirical foundations of macro-sociological endeavours.


Laky, Teréz
Limitations of the Growth of Small Enterprises

The paper analyses the limitations of the numerical growth of small (micro) enterprises that have been founded extensively in Hungary. It shows that this stratum of small entrepreneurs (self-employment) is traditionally based on the labour of the family and does not wish to employ outside labour, or if yes, only to a very limited extent.


Terestyéni, Tamás
Half Way to the West

According to the results of our survey conducted on a national 1000-member representative sample there are still people in a significant majority whose views and attitudes related to the goals of the society, to the optimum organisation of the economy, to market competition, to the role of the state, the rights and duties of the individual are more or less resolutely and consistently opposed to some such important liberal values and principles, to latent social strategies which play a fundamental role in the organisation and operation of the advanced societies of the West. The anti-liberal, paternalistic, anti-Western attitude is so strong and general that it makes hardly any difference among the groups identified by the basic demographic-social characteristics: the anti-Western views and attitudes are present essentially in an almost similarly great proportion in every group. The difference among people and their groups is caused not so much by the anti-Western, but much more by the acceptance of the Western views and attitudes. A basic anti-Western tuning can be traced even in those groups – such as men, the younger generations, the highly qualified, people living in urbanised settlements and among the better off – where otherwise the pro-Western attitudes, by and large weaker and more limited, are the strongest. The socio-economic attractions of the sympathisers of parties show a similar image too: even among the supporters of those parties, such as SZDSZ, Fidesz and MSZP, among the followers of which the pro-Western attitude is relatively the strongest, there is a marked non-Western value choice.

As if the impression, many times worded in many places, were being justified that there are several parties hidden in some of the Hungarian parties. According to our survey at least two of them: a smaller but markedly pro-Western and a more populous but mixed and non-Western one are there. Quite probably this conflict of values has played a significant role in the MDNP breaking away from the MDF and in the split of KDNP, further on in a number of internal disputes in the coalition of the MSZP and SZDSZ.


Fleck, Gábor–Virág, Tünde
Tradition or Adjustment, Gilvánfa from Inside and Outside

The paper tries to present the alternating periods of integration and segregation, the problems of adjustment of the Gypsies of the settlement and its economic and political context by the historical and contemporary analysis of an ethnically homogenous Gypsy village.

In the village of Gilvánfa there are the descendants of two ethnically identical groups. The difference between them is only that much that they have arrived in the village and its vicinity at different times. According to our experience that initial difference has had long-term consequences upon the changes of careers. One of the groups began to approach the society of the village exclusively inhabited by Gypsies in an economically open situation. It offered an opportunity for the development of a symbiotic relationship. Whereas those arriving later got closer to the village already at a period when a large part of the rural families were moving to bigger settlements as a result of rapid economic shrinking so typical of small villages. Differences in the way and style of life could be identified between the two groups up to the most recent times. Today its best indicator is the simultaneous migration of Gypsies from Gilvánfa with the peasants. Today only a few families of them remain in the village.

The economic processes of the past decades have again made the inhabitants of this small village homogenous. Today Gilvánfa can be considered as an extremely segregated settlement developing phenomena of a ghetto where in the lack of other possibilities of income the population tries to survive on odd jobs, gathering, family allowance and other social allocations. In an economic situation which has become totally impossible, new modes of differentiation can be observed. The families, called strategy changers by us, break up their family and community relations that have become inconvenient by now (as on those relations community ownership prevails in the face of private one, and the survival of the community dominates over individual progress) as they make economic promotion absolutely impossible. This strategy is followed even at the cost of losing their close relationship to their own parents, sisters and brothers. Instead they build intimate, friendly relations with those pursuing similar strategies. However, in that community, totally blocked, even that way of life does not lead too far. Today an individual economic upliftment has no chance just as much as that of the upliftment of the entire community.

We wish to highlight – without entering into a totally ahistorical exposition of ‘if – then’ that an economically open situation has made upliftment and adjustment possible jointly, as a community of Gypsies. Whereas emergence from an economically closed, spatially and socially totally isolated situation cannot be realised even at the cost of total assimilation.


Krémer, Ferenc
The Social Role of the Police from a Sociological Point of View

Of the factors determining the organisation and operation of the police one of the most important is the dominant concept of the social role of the police. The paper attempts to describe the three existing types and a hypothetical one of the role models.

War on crime commissions the police to retain social borders, as a result the police are organised as an army and their most important role is control over the society. This model only expects the policeman to be able to apply coercion.

Whereas order maintenance focuses on conflict treatment. It interprets social problems from the angle of order valid for all. It is for the first time in this model that the qualifications of policemen and of social science become important to the proper functioning of the police, in keeping with their social role.

Relationship to the community is in the centre of the third model. Social service to the public means that the police accept it and consider it the measure of their activities that they are unable to maintain order without the co-operation of the citizens. The police become part of the community of citizens and produce security of the community.

As part of the mechanism of integration the police strive not to let confrontation replace consensus. In the emerging multicultural society it is their social role to control the co-operation of different values and ways of life based on pluralism and tolerance.