János Kis
János Kis (born 17 September 1943) is a Hungarian philosopher and political scientist.[1] He founded the Alliance of Free Democrats. He was the first Hungarian parliamentary opposition leader.[2]
János Kis | |
|---|---|
 János Kis in 1989 | |
| President of the Alliance of Free Democrats | |
| In office 23 February 1990 – 23 November 1991 | |
| Preceded by | Inaugural |
| Succeeded by | Péter Tölgyessy |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 September 1943
(aged 82) Budapest, Hungary |
| Nationality | Hungarian |
| Political party | SZDSZ (1988–2002) |
| Alma mater | Eötvös Loránd University Budapest School |
| Occupation | Political scientist |
| Profession | Philosopher |
Life
János Kis was born in Budapest, Hungary. His father died during the Holocaust. In 1967, he finished university at Eötvös Loránd University, studying philosophy.[3]
In the 1960s, he became interested in the ideas of György Lukács and György Márkus, and became a Marxist. He also joined the Hungarian Communist Party. But in 1973, he lost his job at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences after he helped write a book that criticized Marxist socialism from a left-wing view. He was also removed from the Communist Party.
Later, he opposed the communist government in Hungary. He helped start the first underground opposition magazine, called Beszélő, in 1981. He was the magazine’s editor-in-chief until Hungary became a democracy in 1989. He also joined a new democratic party called the Alliance of Free Democrats (SzDSz).
Between 1988 and 1989, Kis was a visiting professor at the New School in New York City. After communism ended in 1989–1990, the SzDSz entered Parliament, and Kis became party leader on 23 February 1990. He left this role on 23 November 1991 and went back to teaching, but he stayed in the party. He also supported the SzDSz’s decision to work with the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP).
In 1992, he became a professor at Central European University, and since 1996 he has also taught at New York University. In 2002, Kis left the SzDSz after finding out that the Prime Minister, Péter Medgyessy, used to work for the communist secret police.
János Kis Media
From left to right: János Kis, Iván Bába, Sándor Radnóti in a suit, Ferenc Miszlivetz in a white sweater by the wall, Ferenc Kőszeg next to him. Perőcsény, Hungary, 1987.
References
- ↑ From Liberal Values to Democratic Transition: Essays in Honor of Janos Kis (NED - New edition, 1 ed.). Central European University Press. 2004. doi:10.7829/j.ctt2jbn1t. ISBN 978-963-9241-77-0.
- ↑ "Author: János Kis". Journal of Democracy. Retrieved 2025-06-23.
- ↑ "Janos Kis | CEU People". people.ceu.edu. Retrieved 2025-06-23.