The National Endowment for Democracy recently held a fascinating presentation concerning the dynamics underscoring the rise in authoritarian right wing politics in Hungary and in Central Europe more generally. The video features the results of the work of Gabor Scheiring who is a NED Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow and an elected member of the Hungarian National Assembly, the national parliament. The event was held at NED’s International Forum for Democratic Studies in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, February 14.

Senior Director of the Reagan-Fascell Fellowship Program Sally Blair moderated the event and there were additional comments from Christopher Walker, a influential member of NED’s executive leadership team. Here is the summary from the event invitation:

After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Hungary and Poland were heralded as among the most successful cases of liberal reform of the former socialist countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Yet two and a half decades later, authoritarian politics have reemerged in the public life of both countries. How can this puzzle of post-socialist illiberalism in Central Europe be explained?

Some observers claim that countries in the region have never been truly democratic, and their recent turn merely fits an historical pattern. Others argue that the success of illiberal politics is rooted in the clever political maneuvering of authoritarian politicians. In his presentation, political economist Gabor Scheiring will offer a third explanation.

Based on new data and case studies, he will argue that it is impossible to understand illiberalism’s role in Central Europe without analyzing the rightward shift of the working middle class and the political mobilization of the national business elite. His presentation will shed light on the socioeconomic roots of the authoritarian turn in Hungary, while also offering comparative insights into recent developments in Poland and the Czech Republic. Christopher Walker will offer comments.

The video is about 80 minutes. Take a look:

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