What do you think?
Rate this book
Embedded Autocracy: Hungary in the European Union
382 pages, Hardcover
Published July 17, 2024
14 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
May 13, 2025
I chose this book for two reasons. I was soon to spend a few days in Hungary, learning about its history and culture. Reading about its politics would further enhance my understanding of the country. Secondly, I knew of Donald Trump’s high regard for the autocratic rule of Victor Orban. Knowing more about what Orban has done would help me better understand what Trump is doing.
The book didn’t disappoint on either count. It was a heavy read (and also an expensive purchase) and I come away disturbed, confirmed and more apprehensive about the future of America. But in the end, my curiosity was well satisfied.
I’ve never studied political science theory, so there was a lot to puzzle through in this book. And, I knew little of the institutions and workings of the European Union (now I know a bit more). In reading about the political process in Hungary I came across terms I had never encountered before, scary ones. The two that stand out for me were the process of de-democratization (I think you can figure out what that means) and illiberal. Illiberalism is proudly worn by Orban and his Fidesz Party as its political badge. The illiberalism consolidating in Hungary refers to the restricting freedom of thought and behaviour, intolerance of outside influence, and a narrow sense of ethnic nationalism.
There are many parallels between the maneuvers of the Trump presidency and what Orban has done in Hungary. However, Hungary is not a clear blueprint for the USA as the context and histories of the two countries are so different. That said, it is clear a illiberal mind-set and de-democratization process are a part of Trump’s remaking of the USA.
The premise of the book is that Orban’s autocracy is embedded within the complexity of Hungarian identity, its history and ethnicity. One of the ways Orban consolidated his hold on Hungarians was through his political rhetoric. For the de-democratization and illiberalism taking place in the USA to succeed it will need to be also be embedded in the cultural ethos of its people. An emphasis on isolation and nationalism will need to be nurtured within the nation (perhaps using the powerful new tools of social media). Additionally, Orban capitalized on posturing with respect to global (and European) institutions and geopolitical events to further its ethnic national identification.
De-democratization in Hungary made its way through the political and legal systems in multiple steps to insure loyalty to Orban’s increasingly autocratic rule. The process in the USA is proceeding much more quickly than it did in Hungary, as if Trump wants to do in two years what Orban did in fifteen.
One final note. My work as a psychologist led me to choose complexity theory over linear causation. This book confirmed that what we observe is best understood through appreciating a complexity of factors, including context and identity, as well as actions and events.
The book didn’t disappoint on either count. It was a heavy read (and also an expensive purchase) and I come away disturbed, confirmed and more apprehensive about the future of America. But in the end, my curiosity was well satisfied.
I’ve never studied political science theory, so there was a lot to puzzle through in this book. And, I knew little of the institutions and workings of the European Union (now I know a bit more). In reading about the political process in Hungary I came across terms I had never encountered before, scary ones. The two that stand out for me were the process of de-democratization (I think you can figure out what that means) and illiberal. Illiberalism is proudly worn by Orban and his Fidesz Party as its political badge. The illiberalism consolidating in Hungary refers to the restricting freedom of thought and behaviour, intolerance of outside influence, and a narrow sense of ethnic nationalism.
There are many parallels between the maneuvers of the Trump presidency and what Orban has done in Hungary. However, Hungary is not a clear blueprint for the USA as the context and histories of the two countries are so different. That said, it is clear a illiberal mind-set and de-democratization process are a part of Trump’s remaking of the USA.
The premise of the book is that Orban’s autocracy is embedded within the complexity of Hungarian identity, its history and ethnicity. One of the ways Orban consolidated his hold on Hungarians was through his political rhetoric. For the de-democratization and illiberalism taking place in the USA to succeed it will need to be also be embedded in the cultural ethos of its people. An emphasis on isolation and nationalism will need to be nurtured within the nation (perhaps using the powerful new tools of social media). Additionally, Orban capitalized on posturing with respect to global (and European) institutions and geopolitical events to further its ethnic national identification.
De-democratization in Hungary made its way through the political and legal systems in multiple steps to insure loyalty to Orban’s increasingly autocratic rule. The process in the USA is proceeding much more quickly than it did in Hungary, as if Trump wants to do in two years what Orban did in fifteen.
One final note. My work as a psychologist led me to choose complexity theory over linear causation. This book confirmed that what we observe is best understood through appreciating a complexity of factors, including context and identity, as well as actions and events.
Displaying 1 of 1 review