The Hungarian Patient

"This book stands out among the recent publications on Hungary. Discussing Hungary as a 'patient', the book is divided into a diagnosis (analysing the changes introduced by Fidesz), various symptoms (addressing social problems and marginalisation in Hungarian society, often with a long-term perspective), immune reactions (movements and parties that organise protests and resistance to Fidesz) and future perspectives. Every chapter within these sections discusses a different topic or field, though there is some overlap, as patterns of discrimination and roots of opposition groups are similar. Any reader willing to make their way through, even those well-versed in Hungarian politics, will encounter a myriad of interesting ideas and previously unknown facts."—Europe-Asia Studies

"The Hungarian Patient should be compulsory reading for all Europeans, at least for those engaged in policy making and in Civil Society. In an alarming way, this book shows to which end the rightist takeover leads: to a complete deconstruction of liberal democracies..."—Nonprofit Policy Forum

"Fidesz's dominance is (was) unprecedented. And what makes the phenomenon even more interesting is that the events leading up to Fidesz's 2010 electoral victory were democratic. The book is not just about Hungary's electoral backslide, but rather the democratic emergence of an illiberal party. The strength of this edited book is its depth: With one exception, the contributors are interested in the details of one single case: Hungary."—Taiwan Journal of Democracy

"This book will take its place as the definitive work on the contemporary social-political scene in Hungary. Issues of democracy, pluralism, and participation are being closely monitored throughout the world, and Hungary's retreat from these values is of vital importance."—Ivan Krastev

"The volume offers thorough analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of domestic democratic agency in Hungary, highlighting in several different ways the perils of political polarization. As the editors, wisely, do not try to impose a unified analytical frame on the study of a still emerging political arrangement, the volume can serve both as a collection of background readings rich in details, and, as a textbook opulent with alternative frames to grasp authoritarian trends and anti-authoritarian movements in contemporary Hungary."—László Bruszt