How liberalism became ‘the god that failed’ in eastern Europe. By Ivan Krastev and Stephen Holmes
Across central and eastern Europe, many of
the democracies that emerged at the end of the cold war have been transformed
into conspiracy-minded majoritarian regimes. In them, political opposition is
demonised, non-government media, civil society and independent courts are
denuded of their influence and sovereignty is defined by the leadership’s
determination to resist pressure to conform to western ideals of political
pluralism, government transparency and tolerance for strangers, dissidents and
minorities.
In the spring of 1990, John Feffer, a 26-year-old American, spent several months criss-crossing eastern Europe in hope of unlocking the mystery of its post-communist future and writing a book about the historical transformation unfolding before his eyes. He was no expert, so instead of testing theories, he buttonholed as many people from as many walks of life as possible. The contradictions he encountered were fascinating and puzzling. East Europeans were optimistic but apprehensive. Many of those he interviewed at the time expected to be living like Viennese or Londoners within five years, 10 years at the most.
But these hopes were mingled with anxiety and foreboding.
As Hungarian sociologist Elemér Hankiss observed: “People realised suddenly
that in the coming years, it would be decided who would be rich and who would
be poor; who would have power and who would not; who would be marginalised and
who would be at the centre. And who would be able to found dynasties and whose
children would suffer.”
Feffer eventually
published his book, but did not return to the countries that had briefly
captured his imagination. Then, 25 years later, he decided to revisit the
region and to seek out those with whom he had spoken in 1990. This time round,
eastern Europe was richer but roiled by resentment. The capitalist future had
arrived, but its benefits and burdens were unevenly, even crassly distributed.
After reminding us that “For the World War II generation in eastern Europe,
communism was the ‘god that failed’”, Feffer writes that “For the current
generation in the region, liberalism is the god that failed.”
