The Symbolic Economies of Postsocialist Nationalism

The Symbolic Economies of Postsocialist Nationalism

The paper explores the intersections between markets and new forms of nationalism in contemporary Hungary by looking at the manufacturing, sale, and consumption of radical nationalist commodities and services. It argues that the increasing right-wing radicalization of Hungarian politics and the growth of “uncivil” publics has been fueled by an expanding industry that effectively commodifies these sentiments. The analysis focuses on four key areas: book publishers that specialize in printing and disseminating nationalist literature; heritage tourism to neighboring countries (especially to Transylvania, Romania) that aims to build bridges to diaspora Hungarians and sustain the idea of a Greater (pre-1918) Hungary; national rock bands that have codified a new, economically successful genre of political popular music; and clothing brands that market explicitly nationalist fashion items.  By tracing the symbolic economies of new forms of nationalism, I highlight an important dimension of everyday nationalism. This analytical lens helps to demonstrate that contemporary right-wing radicalism is not a codified political ideology but a more fluid subculture in which expressive symbols, material objects, rituals, everyday consumption and lifestyle patterns are essential carriers of political convictions and markers of group boundaries.