April 14, 2013
Democracy on the Defensive
Nationaltheater Budapest
Democracy is not something that can ever be taken for granted. It is by nature a weak form of government, a model with “open flanks.” The tendency of democracy to tip over into tyranny had been recognised already in antiquity. With the goal of avoiding unlimited power in the hands of a single party, there is a need today as well for protection through independent, stable institutions and a vital political culture. This also includes the necessity of a critical public, where political decisions are weighed and that opposes the erosion of democratic principles. The appearance of right-wing parties in Europe clearly demonstrates once again the fragility of democratic systems. This raises the question of the conditions of active political life. How can democracy take the offensive?
In Hungary, many oppositional figures see freedom of expression and judicial independence as threatened. One current point of contention is the reform of the constitution, which curtailed the competences of the Supreme Court. György Kolláth, a Hungarian expert in constitutional law, views the initiative, introduced by the governing party Fidesz, as a judicial vendetta (ZEIT Online, 15.02.2013). As early as two years ago, in a joint proclamation, Jürgen Habermas and Julian Nida-Rümelin warned against an erosion of the constitution in Hungary (Süddeutsche Zeitung, 24.01.2011). Their concern was directed above all at the situation of intellectuals expressing dissident views. The debate on diversity of opinion evidently does not stop at the area of culture, either. In connection with the developments in cultural policy in Hungary, a number of artists such as Elfriede Jelinek, Michael Haneke and Erwin Wurm expressed their concern in an open letter. Jelinek warned: Any form of political instrumentalisation, let alone ideological disciplining, of art, any form of censorship makes a country not only less productive and ultimately poorer, but also facilitates repression and violence against minorities (Der Standard.at, 01.02.2013 ).How do Hungarian researchers and artists view the situation of democracy in their country?
The media are following developments in Russia attentively. Freedom of speech and assembly, as we read, are being threatened by ever-increasing legal limitations and encroachments on oppositional figures. On their index of freedom of the press, the organisation Reporters without Borders recently demoted Russia to the 148th place. Among other things, following the last presidential election, the law on assembly was tightened, so that demonstrators and organisers of unauthorised protest actions must reckon with massive financial penalties. This measure was received with great misgiving in the human rights council of the Duma (as reported by ZEIT Online, 08.06.2012). The increasing expansion of powers of the governing party United Russia is rousing opposition. Nonetheless, the current political protest should not obscure the fact that not only moderate-liberal forces, but also the growing radical-nationalistic wing, which rejects Russia as a pluralistic, multiethnic state, is part and parcel of the Moscow opposition. What is the perspective of Russian artists and intellectuals on the political situation in their country? How does the Russian concept of democracy differ from the western one?
Munich
Moderation: Ute Schaeffer
Speaker: Daniela Dahn, Paul Nolte
Moscow
Moderation: Mikhail Kaluzhsky
Speaker: Oleg Nikiforov, Mikhail Gelfand
Budapest
Moderation: Eszter Babarczy
Speaker: Máté Gáspár , Ádám Nádasdy
In Hungary, many oppositional figures see freedom of expression and judicial independence as threatened. One current point of contention is the reform of the constitution, which curtailed the competences of the Supreme Court. György Kolláth, a Hungarian expert in constitutional law, views the initiative, introduced by the governing party Fidesz, as a judicial vendetta (ZEIT Online, 15.02.2013). As early as two years ago, in a joint proclamation, Jürgen Habermas and Julian Nida-Rümelin warned against an erosion of the constitution in Hungary (Süddeutsche Zeitung, 24.01.2011). Their concern was directed above all at the situation of intellectuals expressing dissident views. The debate on diversity of opinion evidently does not stop at the area of culture, either. In connection with the developments in cultural policy in Hungary, a number of artists such as Elfriede Jelinek, Michael Haneke and Erwin Wurm expressed their concern in an open letter. Jelinek warned: Any form of political instrumentalisation, let alone ideological disciplining, of art, any form of censorship makes a country not only less productive and ultimately poorer, but also facilitates repression and violence against minorities (Der Standard.at, 01.02.2013 ).How do Hungarian researchers and artists view the situation of democracy in their country?
The media are following developments in Russia attentively. Freedom of speech and assembly, as we read, are being threatened by ever-increasing legal limitations and encroachments on oppositional figures. On their index of freedom of the press, the organisation Reporters without Borders recently demoted Russia to the 148th place. Among other things, following the last presidential election, the law on assembly was tightened, so that demonstrators and organisers of unauthorised protest actions must reckon with massive financial penalties. This measure was received with great misgiving in the human rights council of the Duma (as reported by ZEIT Online, 08.06.2012). The increasing expansion of powers of the governing party United Russia is rousing opposition. Nonetheless, the current political protest should not obscure the fact that not only moderate-liberal forces, but also the growing radical-nationalistic wing, which rejects Russia as a pluralistic, multiethnic state, is part and parcel of the Moscow opposition. What is the perspective of Russian artists and intellectuals on the political situation in their country? How does the Russian concept of democracy differ from the western one?
Munich
Moderation: Ute Schaeffer
Speaker: Daniela Dahn, Paul Nolte
Moscow
Moderation: Mikhail Kaluzhsky
Speaker: Oleg Nikiforov, Mikhail Gelfand
Budapest
Moderation: Eszter Babarczy
Speaker: Máté Gáspár , Ádám Nádasdy
