Every generation in the modern age had its own crisis to solve. Our generation had the privilege to experience more of them. First the prolonged crisis and downfall of socialism, then the collapse of the idea of the global free market in 2008 which was made worse by the sanctions regime after 2022, and lastly, the crisis of Pax Americana and the oligarchic power called liberal democracy.

The Pax Americana was connected to the triumph of liberal politics, institutions and thought, as did Fukuyama and Krauthammer. Today many come to the conclusion that the dissolution of Pax Americana is not only the end of the unipolar world, but also the twilight of the liberal West.

However, even if the West might be called liberal, it is questionable if the decline of liberalism is at once the decline of the West as well: the institutional and intellectual past of the West are quite rich, and was able to adapt extremely well despite the fact that the dominant liberal elite cut itself off from this intellectual tradition and is not willing to react reasonably to real challenges.

Hungary lies at the border of the West so she is sensitive to these changes. Here, the vast majority of society was disenchanted of liberal thoughts and institutions many years ago – we can say that the reckoning with liberal illusions started here on the frontier.

The aim of the conference is to try to understand our current predicament. What is the demographic, intellectual, political and economic situation today? What sources and reserves do we have? Which elements of our culture, institutions and social relations are responsible for the crisis which we have to solve?

And lastly: are we able to overcome these challenges? What should be changed? Although the crisis of the West is not preeminently political, but demographic, economic, military and cultural, we should look for a political answer.

Please save the date for our event. Further details will be shared shortly.

The official language of the conference is English, with simultaneous interpretation into Hungarian provided.

The event will be hosted by Angéla Galán.