He was not able to finish his studies and was put under house arrest in the August 1944 for two years but managed to escape at the end of November.

From 1948 onwards Hegedüs became involved with the Hungarian Working People's Party eventually taking on leading roles.

This culminated on 18 April 1955, when he was named Prime Minister after party leader Mátyás Rákosi forced out Imre Nagy.

After signing the document asking Soviet troops for assistance during the revolution on 24 October, the government and people overwhelmingly supported him handing power back to Nagy.

He was dismissed from his position at the Sociology Research Institute and later in 1973 was expelled from the Communist Party for his differing political and ideological views.