The Power Grid

The Social Network of the Hungarian Elite in the Socialist Era Based on Hunting Habits

Abstract

Hunting played a prominent role in the life of the political elite of the Kádár era; besides recreation, it also provided an excellent opportunity for relationship building. In our study we set out to identify certain features of power dynamics, as well as structural characteristics of the system based on the trophy presentation lists of one of the most remarkable hunting associations of the era, Egyetértés, founded exclusively for the members of the political elite.

The results confirmed our initial hypotheses suggesting that a reflection of the slow decomposition of the system could be observed through the hunting customs. Over time the leading political members of the hunting association Egyetértés hunted less and less together, with the network of joint hunting collaterally losing its density, showing a diminished clustering coefficient and sabotage tolerance. Signs of the decay of the system were clearly reflected by hunting customs and the hunting network.

Nevertheless, the data demonstrate more than that: they mark the actors’ informal position within the power structure, while at the same time outlining the path of power dynamics of the given figures.