Entropy is a term physicists use to describe decay, and it’s starting to look as if entropy could be catching up with Viktor Orbán’s Hungary. I write about the possibility that Orbánism is heading toward regime collapse in this piece… Read More ›
Hungary
Viktor Orbán’s Use of Soft Power to Create a Sonderweg
The following is a short article I wrote on Viktor Orbán’s foreign policy strategy. The first paragraph of the article is included below; the rest of the article can be read via the link. Viktor Orbán has dedicated enormous financial… Read More ›
Facing a Serious Challenger, Orbán Moves Closer to Naked Authoritarianism
Since exploding onto the political scene last February, Péter Magyar had completely upended Hungarian politics and has Orbán and his cronies in a state of panic. My latest piece for The Bulwark. “IF IT KEEPS ON RAINING, [the] levee’s going… Read More ›
A Hetiválasz podcast vendége voltam
“Drámai fordulat borzolta fel a kedélyeket az amerikai elnökválasztást megelőző kampányban: Donald Trump ellen merényletet követtek el. Fordít-e ez a korábbi esélyeken? Mit jelent a kereszténység a politikában Amerikában és mit itthon? Remélhetünk-e bármi jót egy esetleges Trump győzelem esetén?… Read More ›
Is This the Man Who Could Topple Viktor Orbán?
“FORTUNE IS A LIBERAL MISTRESS,” Napoleon is reported to have said before his defeat at Borodino. “I have often said so, and now begin to experience it.” Words of wisdom, perhaps, for Viktor Orbán, who some have said suffers from bouts of Bonapartism. Since winning… Read More ›
In Hungary, Scandal and Crisis Suddenly Energize the Opposition
ALTHOUGH ONE MIGHT NOT KNOW IT given Hungary’s current reputation, the country has noble liberal traditions. In 1848 Hungary gave birth to one of the most successful democratic revolutions in Europe, sadly suppressed after a year by Austrian and Russian… Read More ›
Lashing Out, Rod Dreher (Again) Reveals His Ignorance of Hungary
People interested in Christianity, American politics, and the culture wars may have run across the name of Rod Dreher. He’s a rather prolific writer and journalist who maintains a regular blog with the magazine The American Conservative. Some years ago… Read More ›
What Viktor Orbán Revealed This Weekend
Viktor Orbán has a habit of giving controversial speeches in Romania. His notorious 2014 illiberalism speech was delivered there. Just a few weeks ago, he delivered another whopper, which included unmistakably racist language. In an essay I wrote for The… Read More ›
Hungary’s Autocrat Orbán Fends Off Opposition Challenge
I wrote this short article for The Bulwark on April 3, 2022, the night of Viktor Orbán’s big election victory. It was a first take, which I think has held up pretty well. You can read it here.
Expect a Viktor Orbán Win Next Month
This article was published in The Bulwark. Not only do I predict what will happen in Hungary’s election, but I explain why making this prediction is easy – because Hungary’s not a democracy. This first two paragraphs of the article… Read More ›
H. David Baer 