Christopher’s writing always impresses me. It is easy-to-read, organized well, breaks down concepts into manageable bits, and always educates me in such a way that I feel more able to read and understand further information rather than being overwhelmed by too much detail. I am grateful and illuminated by his work. Many thanks!
Aug 3, 2023·edited Aug 3, 2023Liked by Christopher F. Rufo
Hungary's attempted version of liberal democracy - but without the hyper-liberal narcissism that has engulfed the Anglosphere - is, as you say, not directly exportable to America (or UK). But it could make for very appealing cameo 'stories' - of what life could be like in a saner kind of conservative liberalism - that could resonate with Western publics. Your essay is excellent but a lengthy read. It would be great if it gave rise to some short punchy journalistic pieces contrasting life in Hungary for ordinary people with life in - say - LA? https://grahamcunningham.substack.com/
This is excellent. I subscribe to Rod Dreher, an American who’s been living in Hungary for a while. He makes many of the same observations you did here. You went into a lot of depth and detail in this, which was somewhat lengthy in that it was completely devoted to the one subject (which are good things). I think I’ll be a lot better clued in the next time I read one of Dreher’s articles.
This is excellent. I subscribe to Rod Dreher, an American who’s been living in Hungary for a while. He makes many of the same observations you did here. You went into a lot of depth and detail in this, which was somewhat lengthy in that it was completely devoted to the one subject (which are good things). I think I’ll be a lot better clued in the next time I read one of Dreher’s articles.
Aug 3, 2023·edited Aug 3, 2023Liked by Christopher F. Rufo
I was born and raised in Budapest, Hungary. I was 12 in 1981, when my family escaped Hungary, we were in a refugee camp for 9 months before moving to the US. I love America and I consider it my country. I’ve been trying to educate people for over 10 years about what’s coming to the US, if people don’t wake up. It makes me sad we’ve reached this point. For the first time in my life, I’m considering moving back to Hungary, where there still seem to have some semblance of normalcy. It’s a hard pill to swallow.
Great article! Thank you for sharing your experience with us.
Hungarians always fought against oppression and that’s why they don’t stand for Marxist communist ideologies. Even when Hungary was behind the iron curtain, there was more freedom than in most of the other communist countries. Hungary has always been a Christian conservative country and Viktor Orbán is the Hungarian Trump. 🙏🏻
The US has a hard lesson to learn if they allow the pendulum to swing to the crazy left. I experienced it as a child and I know what I’m talking about.
The WEF and their oligarchs want to get rid of nuclear families, emasculate men, erase women, dumb children down so they don’t question things, and they want you to own nothing, eat bugs and be happy! Their plan is outlined in the Great Reset by Klaus Schwab. People need to wake up and fight back! The US is the only Constitutional Republic, and the last bastion of hope. If America falls, the whole world will fall with it. 🇺🇸🗽🦅
Re:"Hungarians always fought against oppression", sorry but that certainly was not true during the Holocaust when Hungarian Jewry was almost wiped out.
My grandfather hid 32 Jewish families in an underground bunker out in the field, all the while hosting the highest ranking SS Nazi officer. He always said, keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. Many Hungarians did similar things. So you’re wrong!
I realize lots of Hungarian Jews were sent to camps, but a lot of them were also saved by people like my grandpa.
May your grandfather's memory be a blessing, but I"m sorry I have to disagree with you. The murder of some 500,000 Hungarian Jews just shows what a rare man he was.
Well, actually if you understand that the 2nd biggest psyop in history took place during WWII against humanity, which included brainwashing, induced fear, propaganda and virtue signaling then you will know how the extermination of 6 million Jews could have occurred. I often did not understand it myself, up until March 2020, when they unleashed the world’s greatest social experiment and psyop on humanity. The Plandemic. They used the same methods as in WWII, brainwashing, fear, propaganda 24/7, and virtue signaling. It was much easier to achieve it this time, because we have 24/7 tv, internet, and the evil WEF.
Strong minded individuals like myself, fought against it and did not follow the lockdowns, the social distancing, the mask wearing, we did not fall for the threats, the demonization, or the death jab. Then there were those people who were impatient and wanted to get their “freedoms” back (by giving up their actual freedoms), they were willing to bow to the ridiculous pressures and despicable tactics that were being unleashed on the planet, some sadly were threatened with jab or job, which was nothing short of a tyrannical method to get people to bow…and of course, there were the weakest of minds, the sheeple as I call them, who have been so brainwashed and fearful, they still wear masks 3 years later, even after they have been proven ineffective, these people were the first ones to line up to take a drug that was never peer reviewed, the rats they tested these drugs on, all died, and were later proven completely ineffective, in fact they cause more deaths and harm than herd immunity or not taking it, and most of these weaklings still live in a bubble which they created for themselves to completely isolate from humanity. There are literally people living in this world right now, who have not left their homes in over 3.5 years. To me that’s not living, it’s dying. If you’re that afraid to breathe air, you should not be here. Most of them have become morbidly obese as a result of their isolation, so you would think they would be more worried about heart disease or healthy lifestyle than a virus that was not nearly as harmful as these evil people led some to believe.
Brainwashing takes about 3 weeks to occur, well, we were subjected to this psyop for 2.5-3 years, just like in WWII. The Plandemic will go down in history, as THE GREATEST crime against humanity, because it will kill far more people than WWII ever did. This social experiment is nothing, but a mass extermination to bring their Great Reset agenda of depopulation and one world government to fruition. It is Nuremberg 2.0. If you do not see what took place, you need some research to do.
People in the future will question the insanity of 2020 and how we have allowed it to happen, the same way I questioned the death of 6M Jews 80 years ago. Sadly, we tend to forget history and we’re doomed to repeat it. It is human nature by default.
All I know is, that I must come from a lineage of strong minded warriors, because the same way my grandparents didn’t fall for fear, propaganda,
brainwashing and virtue signaling during WWII, I can proudly say, I didn’t fall for the Plandemic mass psychosis of 2020 either. I will always stand up to fight for freedom whether it is in the form of defying masks, crazy jab mandates, taking up arms or whatever other crap the elitist will think of to try to suppress and oppress us with, but I will never bow to tyranny. I was born in a communist country and I’ll be damned if I die in one.
As a native American who sees what is happening to the land that he loves, I have, in darker moments, considered an escape plan for me and my family. Hungary is the country that comes to mind first as a possible refuge. God bless Hungary. But God bless America, land that I love. And I will not desert her, in her moment of greatest need. My home is here. And here will be my grave.
I'm not a conservative Christian and don't have much of an opinion on Orban's ideology. I like that he is standing up for his nation's sovereignty, rekindling the cultural identity, and standing up to the EU's creeping interference into non-economic policy. The faster Orban-like figures cause the disintegration or weakening of the EU, the less momentum the UN will have in its hegemonic neoliberal project, of interfering in native culture and domestic policies of other countries around the world, will have.
Absolutely. The fact is that such types are driven by the universalism inherent in Marxist ideology, so they do not accept, let alone tolerate, differences. The global Islamist project has the same tendency for homogenisation due to the operative theology. Both sanction violence to eliminate opponents. This is why both of them provide cover fire to each other and the political dividends of that partnership have been massive for them. History tells us that once they eliminate the mutual opponent, they kill each other. Driving a wedge there is key to defeating the neoliberal/neoliberal/leftist hydra.
You might take a look at C.R.'s interview with The Intercept, available on C.R.'s Twitter page. The discussion of culture vs. economy in Youngstown very seriously addresses the importance of what you are saying.
Hungary should leave the EU which is on a downward spiral of morality and replacement of the population by young men posing as poor immigrants (where are the women and children?). If Hungary had the fortitude to leave to protect their religious and family values and their culture then I’m sure many other countries would follow suit. The EU and woke US are dying empires.
Problem: Hungary's economic ties to Germany. Such a move will require closer ties with Russia - which is less of a problem, I believe, for Hungarians than, say, Poles. As long a the American Imperium has coercive power over Europe, this will be difficult. Once that power wanes, the Germans themselves will resume the closer ties to Russia that were underway prior to the latest American intervention.
Hungary is in the middle of a very tough neighborhood, with few resources and a small population. They are constrained by reality and have made a good effort to advocate for their own interests.
Yes. A very dangerous neighborhood. Perhaps as dangerous as Israel's. I was very glad to hear that Benjamin Netanyahu thinks of Hungary as a very good friend. This speaks volumes of Hungary's place in the world. I say again, may God bless Hungary.
Excellent article. It strikes me that Hungary and Orban are to Europe what Florida and DeSantis are to the US. Conservatives in the US should heed the lesson behind this insightful “Rufoian” excerpt: “...conservatives must be comfortable in administering it (i.e., the cultural, social and educational bureaucracy) and, more importantly, orienting it toward their values. Otherwise, they will remain caretakers of their enemies’ institutions—pitiable custodians of their own subversion.” This is an important message for Republicans in the US who suggest that involvement in the “culture wars” is a insignificant distraction, or even antithetical to “hands off” small government Conservatives. In reality, these increasingly Leftist institutions are destroying our founding principles and traditional American values - fighting these battles, playing offense against the Left, is vitally important to preserving our Constitutional republic.
Aug 3, 2023·edited Aug 3, 2023Liked by Christopher F. Rufo
Really interesting information and analysis, thank you! I have heard so many laments about how authoritarian and “fascist” the Orbán government is and it’s nice to read a more nuanced take.
Thanks for that informative and hopeful article. I am sharing with my friends at the New Culture Forum here in the UK. It gives us food for thought and at the very least we should open a Scruton Café here!
Having lived in W. Germany from 1982-1984, I experienced changes happening in Europe during that period in time. From that point onward, I read just about anything I can find that provides a perspective, connection, or soul from "the other side of the wall."
I was lucky enough to be in West Berlin twice: once in 1983 and another time in 1984. My first trip I traveled via the Troop Train from Frankfurt to W. Berlin. My second trip I in fact DROVE my car from Helmstedt W. Germany to W. Berlin -- an experience I will NEVER forget.
On both occasions, I made sure I spent time walking the streets of "both halves." It was stressful to enter East Berlin via Checkpoint Charlie: the bullet holes in the walls of the buildings near the checkpoint, the "controls" and "police state" hoops put in place by the East Germans / Russians to instill fear into all who entered the Eastern Block, and then the stunning realization(s) of still-bombed-out buildings where the top floor is charred yet the main floor is occupied by either stores or offices. What sort of people would allow this type of "societal ruin" to remain?
I devoured your piece, this specific piece, twice. It is rich with the greatest of detail, forthright background, and provides us all with a broader view into this "landlocked nation." I love how you used that phrase -- Hungary is truly an island...
I believe that writing gives us a perspective, video give us a connection, and actual experience gives us the soul...
Thank you, Christopher, for giving us your writing... but, if you don't mind, I've taken the liberty of "merging" your writing with the video(s) I can find -- especially Tucker's videography -- with my own experience of the Eastern Block, to give me all three!
Fascinating. I admit I haven’t followed Hungary much, but this was a great read. Thanks for your insight and the amount of work you put into sharing this
One really must get over the idea that anything our ruling élites say is sincere or literally true. As with Pravda - and I do not mean this as facetious, flippant or even parodic, but rather literally - their utterances must be decoded. The case of Western élite rhetoric about Hungary is classic. They otherwise cannot be made to make sense.
As confirmation: those utterances often make no sense - they are...mystifying. We all have seen this. And that is because they ARE "mystifying." That is, they present as truth an ideology which functions in the classic Marxist sense of the term - as mystification of their rule.
There are other, deeper meanings of the term "ideology," but the Marxist sense has a practical value in helping us get to the truth.
On another point, Christopher, I appreciate your prudence on Twitter. Not all questions raised need be addressed by everyone.
It rather gives me more confidence in your project - which is a political and not a philosophic project. That is, you are working toward political results, and not trying to comprehensively describe reality. (The Catechism of the Roman Church does not include discussions of St. Thomas!)
Christopher’s writing always impresses me. It is easy-to-read, organized well, breaks down concepts into manageable bits, and always educates me in such a way that I feel more able to read and understand further information rather than being overwhelmed by too much detail. I am grateful and illuminated by his work. Many thanks!
Why are you posting the same thing multiple times? This is inappropriate. Please!
The voices in his head probably told him to.
This gives much needed background and context to the story of this inspirational and courageous people and country.
The media's narrative about Hungary has been dead wrong. I hope this piece becomes the reference for what's really happening in the country.
Hungary's attempted version of liberal democracy - but without the hyper-liberal narcissism that has engulfed the Anglosphere - is, as you say, not directly exportable to America (or UK). But it could make for very appealing cameo 'stories' - of what life could be like in a saner kind of conservative liberalism - that could resonate with Western publics. Your essay is excellent but a lengthy read. It would be great if it gave rise to some short punchy journalistic pieces contrasting life in Hungary for ordinary people with life in - say - LA? https://grahamcunningham.substack.com/
This is excellent. I subscribe to Rod Dreher, an American who’s been living in Hungary for a while. He makes many of the same observations you did here. You went into a lot of depth and detail in this, which was somewhat lengthy in that it was completely devoted to the one subject (which are good things). I think I’ll be a lot better clued in the next time I read one of Dreher’s articles.
It’s essential
This is excellent. I subscribe to Rod Dreher, an American who’s been living in Hungary for a while. He makes many of the same observations you did here. You went into a lot of depth and detail in this, which was somewhat lengthy in that it was completely devoted to the one subject (which are good things). I think I’ll be a lot better clued in the next time I read one of Dreher’s articles.
I was born and raised in Budapest, Hungary. I was 12 in 1981, when my family escaped Hungary, we were in a refugee camp for 9 months before moving to the US. I love America and I consider it my country. I’ve been trying to educate people for over 10 years about what’s coming to the US, if people don’t wake up. It makes me sad we’ve reached this point. For the first time in my life, I’m considering moving back to Hungary, where there still seem to have some semblance of normalcy. It’s a hard pill to swallow.
Great article! Thank you for sharing your experience with us.
Wow, interesting! Thanks for sharing your story.
I still remember the Hungarian Revolt of 1956, even though I was only nine-years-old at the time
Hungarians always fought against oppression and that’s why they don’t stand for Marxist communist ideologies. Even when Hungary was behind the iron curtain, there was more freedom than in most of the other communist countries. Hungary has always been a Christian conservative country and Viktor Orbán is the Hungarian Trump. 🙏🏻
The US has a hard lesson to learn if they allow the pendulum to swing to the crazy left. I experienced it as a child and I know what I’m talking about.
The WEF and their oligarchs want to get rid of nuclear families, emasculate men, erase women, dumb children down so they don’t question things, and they want you to own nothing, eat bugs and be happy! Their plan is outlined in the Great Reset by Klaus Schwab. People need to wake up and fight back! The US is the only Constitutional Republic, and the last bastion of hope. If America falls, the whole world will fall with it. 🇺🇸🗽🦅
Re:"Hungarians always fought against oppression", sorry but that certainly was not true during the Holocaust when Hungarian Jewry was almost wiped out.
My grandfather hid 32 Jewish families in an underground bunker out in the field, all the while hosting the highest ranking SS Nazi officer. He always said, keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. Many Hungarians did similar things. So you’re wrong!
I realize lots of Hungarian Jews were sent to camps, but a lot of them were also saved by people like my grandpa.
May your grandfather's memory be a blessing, but I"m sorry I have to disagree with you. The murder of some 500,000 Hungarian Jews just shows what a rare man he was.
Well, actually if you understand that the 2nd biggest psyop in history took place during WWII against humanity, which included brainwashing, induced fear, propaganda and virtue signaling then you will know how the extermination of 6 million Jews could have occurred. I often did not understand it myself, up until March 2020, when they unleashed the world’s greatest social experiment and psyop on humanity. The Plandemic. They used the same methods as in WWII, brainwashing, fear, propaganda 24/7, and virtue signaling. It was much easier to achieve it this time, because we have 24/7 tv, internet, and the evil WEF.
Strong minded individuals like myself, fought against it and did not follow the lockdowns, the social distancing, the mask wearing, we did not fall for the threats, the demonization, or the death jab. Then there were those people who were impatient and wanted to get their “freedoms” back (by giving up their actual freedoms), they were willing to bow to the ridiculous pressures and despicable tactics that were being unleashed on the planet, some sadly were threatened with jab or job, which was nothing short of a tyrannical method to get people to bow…and of course, there were the weakest of minds, the sheeple as I call them, who have been so brainwashed and fearful, they still wear masks 3 years later, even after they have been proven ineffective, these people were the first ones to line up to take a drug that was never peer reviewed, the rats they tested these drugs on, all died, and were later proven completely ineffective, in fact they cause more deaths and harm than herd immunity or not taking it, and most of these weaklings still live in a bubble which they created for themselves to completely isolate from humanity. There are literally people living in this world right now, who have not left their homes in over 3.5 years. To me that’s not living, it’s dying. If you’re that afraid to breathe air, you should not be here. Most of them have become morbidly obese as a result of their isolation, so you would think they would be more worried about heart disease or healthy lifestyle than a virus that was not nearly as harmful as these evil people led some to believe.
Brainwashing takes about 3 weeks to occur, well, we were subjected to this psyop for 2.5-3 years, just like in WWII. The Plandemic will go down in history, as THE GREATEST crime against humanity, because it will kill far more people than WWII ever did. This social experiment is nothing, but a mass extermination to bring their Great Reset agenda of depopulation and one world government to fruition. It is Nuremberg 2.0. If you do not see what took place, you need some research to do.
People in the future will question the insanity of 2020 and how we have allowed it to happen, the same way I questioned the death of 6M Jews 80 years ago. Sadly, we tend to forget history and we’re doomed to repeat it. It is human nature by default.
All I know is, that I must come from a lineage of strong minded warriors, because the same way my grandparents didn’t fall for fear, propaganda,
brainwashing and virtue signaling during WWII, I can proudly say, I didn’t fall for the Plandemic mass psychosis of 2020 either. I will always stand up to fight for freedom whether it is in the form of defying masks, crazy jab mandates, taking up arms or whatever other crap the elitist will think of to try to suppress and oppress us with, but I will never bow to tyranny. I was born in a communist country and I’ll be damned if I die in one.
As a native American who sees what is happening to the land that he loves, I have, in darker moments, considered an escape plan for me and my family. Hungary is the country that comes to mind first as a possible refuge. God bless Hungary. But God bless America, land that I love. And I will not desert her, in her moment of greatest need. My home is here. And here will be my grave.
I'm not a conservative Christian and don't have much of an opinion on Orban's ideology. I like that he is standing up for his nation's sovereignty, rekindling the cultural identity, and standing up to the EU's creeping interference into non-economic policy. The faster Orban-like figures cause the disintegration or weakening of the EU, the less momentum the UN will have in its hegemonic neoliberal project, of interfering in native culture and domestic policies of other countries around the world, will have.
When are people going to call the neoliberal global project out for what it is? Cultural imperialism.
Absolutely. The fact is that such types are driven by the universalism inherent in Marxist ideology, so they do not accept, let alone tolerate, differences. The global Islamist project has the same tendency for homogenisation due to the operative theology. Both sanction violence to eliminate opponents. This is why both of them provide cover fire to each other and the political dividends of that partnership have been massive for them. History tells us that once they eliminate the mutual opponent, they kill each other. Driving a wedge there is key to defeating the neoliberal/neoliberal/leftist hydra.
You might take a look at C.R.'s interview with The Intercept, available on C.R.'s Twitter page. The discussion of culture vs. economy in Youngstown very seriously addresses the importance of what you are saying.
Hungary should leave the EU which is on a downward spiral of morality and replacement of the population by young men posing as poor immigrants (where are the women and children?). If Hungary had the fortitude to leave to protect their religious and family values and their culture then I’m sure many other countries would follow suit. The EU and woke US are dying empires.
Problem: Hungary's economic ties to Germany. Such a move will require closer ties with Russia - which is less of a problem, I believe, for Hungarians than, say, Poles. As long a the American Imperium has coercive power over Europe, this will be difficult. Once that power wanes, the Germans themselves will resume the closer ties to Russia that were underway prior to the latest American intervention.
Hungary is in the middle of a very tough neighborhood, with few resources and a small population. They are constrained by reality and have made a good effort to advocate for their own interests.
Yes. A very dangerous neighborhood. Perhaps as dangerous as Israel's. I was very glad to hear that Benjamin Netanyahu thinks of Hungary as a very good friend. This speaks volumes of Hungary's place in the world. I say again, may God bless Hungary.
Excellent article. It strikes me that Hungary and Orban are to Europe what Florida and DeSantis are to the US. Conservatives in the US should heed the lesson behind this insightful “Rufoian” excerpt: “...conservatives must be comfortable in administering it (i.e., the cultural, social and educational bureaucracy) and, more importantly, orienting it toward their values. Otherwise, they will remain caretakers of their enemies’ institutions—pitiable custodians of their own subversion.” This is an important message for Republicans in the US who suggest that involvement in the “culture wars” is a insignificant distraction, or even antithetical to “hands off” small government Conservatives. In reality, these increasingly Leftist institutions are destroying our founding principles and traditional American values - fighting these battles, playing offense against the Left, is vitally important to preserving our Constitutional republic.
Yes. The comparison with DeSantis also occurred to me. But even more so, with President Trump.
Thank you for this incredibly informative piece. So important to get reliable info and balanced thinking. Great stuff!!
Thank you for reading!
Really interesting information and analysis, thank you! I have heard so many laments about how authoritarian and “fascist” the Orbán government is and it’s nice to read a more nuanced take.
I believe that George Orwell accurately described the contemporary use of the accusation of “fascism” in his essay, “What Is Fascism”.
I will read that, thank you!
You are welcome. I think that his essay should be required reading in high schools, or at least in college
An excellent article... sharing.
Read this in Compact, just fantastic info, thank you!!
Thanks for that informative and hopeful article. I am sharing with my friends at the New Culture Forum here in the UK. It gives us food for thought and at the very least we should open a Scruton Café here!
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/ukraine-rearrests-american-blogger-after-he-sought-enter-hungary-seeking-asylum
Having lived in W. Germany from 1982-1984, I experienced changes happening in Europe during that period in time. From that point onward, I read just about anything I can find that provides a perspective, connection, or soul from "the other side of the wall."
I was lucky enough to be in West Berlin twice: once in 1983 and another time in 1984. My first trip I traveled via the Troop Train from Frankfurt to W. Berlin. My second trip I in fact DROVE my car from Helmstedt W. Germany to W. Berlin -- an experience I will NEVER forget.
On both occasions, I made sure I spent time walking the streets of "both halves." It was stressful to enter East Berlin via Checkpoint Charlie: the bullet holes in the walls of the buildings near the checkpoint, the "controls" and "police state" hoops put in place by the East Germans / Russians to instill fear into all who entered the Eastern Block, and then the stunning realization(s) of still-bombed-out buildings where the top floor is charred yet the main floor is occupied by either stores or offices. What sort of people would allow this type of "societal ruin" to remain?
I devoured your piece, this specific piece, twice. It is rich with the greatest of detail, forthright background, and provides us all with a broader view into this "landlocked nation." I love how you used that phrase -- Hungary is truly an island...
I believe that writing gives us a perspective, video give us a connection, and actual experience gives us the soul...
Thank you, Christopher, for giving us your writing... but, if you don't mind, I've taken the liberty of "merging" your writing with the video(s) I can find -- especially Tucker's videography -- with my own experience of the Eastern Block, to give me all three!
Now to go back and re-re-read your piece...
Appreciate your stories from old Berlin! Must have been a fascinating time.
Fascinating. I admit I haven’t followed Hungary much, but this was a great read. Thanks for your insight and the amount of work you put into sharing this
Was a lot of fun to do the reporting.
One really must get over the idea that anything our ruling élites say is sincere or literally true. As with Pravda - and I do not mean this as facetious, flippant or even parodic, but rather literally - their utterances must be decoded. The case of Western élite rhetoric about Hungary is classic. They otherwise cannot be made to make sense.
As confirmation: those utterances often make no sense - they are...mystifying. We all have seen this. And that is because they ARE "mystifying." That is, they present as truth an ideology which functions in the classic Marxist sense of the term - as mystification of their rule.
There are other, deeper meanings of the term "ideology," but the Marxist sense has a practical value in helping us get to the truth.
On another point, Christopher, I appreciate your prudence on Twitter. Not all questions raised need be addressed by everyone.
It rather gives me more confidence in your project - which is a political and not a philosophic project. That is, you are working toward political results, and not trying to comprehensively describe reality. (The Catechism of the Roman Church does not include discussions of St. Thomas!)