Power is enacted in Source Text 1 by journalist Ákos Tóth. In the target texts, the power enacted in the source text is reproduced by Translator 1 and 2, respectively. With reference to power, from a social and political point of view, it is important to see that one single person, the journalist (obviously with the approval of the editor, certain powerful circles, etc.) is enabled to voice his opinion and textually reproduce social dominance for the readership of Népszabadság. The Social Referendum is an intriguing historical moment in this respect as the Referendum results showed that the ruling elite was challenged: the government had no other option but to administratively react and abolish the fees the Referendum decided against. This deadlock is presented in sentences 10-13 of Source Text 1:

The translators, in turn, through the translation assignment, were given the power of reproducing or undermining the social dominance enacted in the source text. Theoretically, within reasonable limits and suited to the actual translation assignment and the clients, translators have space for manipulating dominance expressed by the source text. Target Text 1 produced by MSZP supporter Translator 1 for MSZP uses the phrase It is a fact (sentences 10-11) and It is not important (sentences 12) as a translation of Mellékes, hogy [It is irrelevant...] (sentences 10-12) and This cannot be ignored (sentence 13) as a translation of Ezt nem lehet figyelmen kívül hagyni. [This should not be neglected.]. Target Text 2 produced by MSZP supporter Translator 1 for Fidesz uses the phrase It is an irrelevant (sentences 10-12) as a translation of Mellékes, hogy and This cannot be overlooked (sentence 13) as a translation of Ezt nem lehet figyelmen kívül hagyni. With reference to social dominance, the power expressed in Target Texts 1 and 2 differs: in Target Text 1 for MSZP Translator 1 through the use of the noun fact, the clause It is not important and the verb ignored tries to ensure that readers understand that the results are a fact and cannot be altered as if MSZP had even challenged the Referendum results. Thus dominance, or in this case the opposition to MSZP’s dominance, is approached from the position of voters and not from the standpoint represented in Source Text 1. In Target Text 2 for Fidesz, Translator 1 through the use of the phrase It is irrelevant and the verb overlooked takes the side of the voters in the majority and consequently of Fidesz suggesting that there can be no other interpretations to the Referendum results only the one provided by Fidesz: that is why certain things are irrelevant, i.e. not to be dealt with, and must be borne in mind, i.e. cannot be overlooked.

Target Texts 5 and 6 by Fidesz supporter Translator 2 both contain the phrase It is unimportant (sentences 10-13 in Target Text 5 and sentences 11-12 in Target Text 6) and Target Text 6 also contains the phrase irrespective of (sentence 13) as a translation of mellékes, hogy. The adjective unimportant expresses that no one is interested in listening to further explanations on the part of the government and that the government should act and repeal the fees concerned. In Target Text 5 for MSZP sentence 12 of Source Text 1:

It seems that irrespective of the translators’ own political convictions, translators take sides with voters and the institution of democratic decision making, which signals that even if a text reproduces the dominance of a ruling elite, translators are likely to undermine such dominance in their texts. This may cause, as in the case of our target texts, the production of texts that reflect a struggle of two opposing social groups for social dominance.