Presentation Transcript
Reagan’s Revolution Unfinished - Democracies in Danger : Reagan’s Revolution Unfinished - Democracies in Danger
Why we Fought the Cold War: Why we Fought the Cold War
Our way of Life was under existential threat
100s of millions of people were literally captives of a evil ideology
Consequences of Victory: Consequences of Victory Collapse of the USSR and the creation of new independent states
The freeing of the captive nations, from the Baltics to the Balkans
The whole-sale transition of nations to the ”market democracy” model
An end to Mutually Assured Destruction
Budapest: Paris of the East: Budapest: Paris of the East
Hungary: From Victory to Self-inflicted Defeat: Hungary: From Victory to Self-inflicted Defeat Happiest Barrack in the Bloc
The Pannon Tiger. 5% GDP growth
NATO – EU membership
Fiftieth Anniversary of the ’56 Revolution
Hungary in more Detail : Hungary in more Detail 1980s reform wing – economic collapse nears
The Iron Curtain breachs
No Shock Therapy
Cyclical Politics, nostalgia
No Lustration
The Survival of Communist Elites: The Survival of Communist Elites For full details see www.itdis.org
Communism’s Legacy: Communism’s Legacy Fear
"Uncle State "
Tax evasion
Old Boy – Communist networks – SS
Politics without ideology
" I can’t change it anyway " :
The Land of No Consequences
The Balatonőszöd Speech : The Balatonőszöd Speech
“We lied for years. We lied about the economy”
“This f..king country”
“We have nothing we can be proud of.”
Slide16: The victory of the Cold War was only partial
Huge lessons remain unlearnt; lessons relevant to anywhere where we want to see democracy take root
Western foundations / individuals much re-engage
The focus must be on the youth What Now?
QUESTIONS?: QUESTIONS?
Sebestyen L. v. Gorka
Founding Director
Institute for Transitional Democracy
& International Security (ITDIS), and
Director of Policy Studies, EICEE, Washington
www.itdis.org www.eicee.org
gorka@itdis.org