The Light that Failed A Reckoning
The Light that Failed: A Reckoning by Ivan Krastev, published by National Geographic Books on September 15, 2020, is a thought-provoking exploration of the crisis of liberalism. This 256-page work delves into the political transformations following the Cold War, examining why the anticipated spread of liberal democracy in Eastern Europe has instead led to a backlash against liberal ideals both there and in the West.
In this insightful analysis, Krastev and co-author Stephen Holmes argue that the post-1989 push for Westernization has fueled a wave of populist sentiment and xenophobia, particularly in Eastern Europe. The authors contend that the rise of figures like Trump in the United States reflects a broader trend where countries emerging from communism have begun to emulate authoritarian models. This edition presents a comprehensive look at the historical context and implications of these political shifts, making it a significant contribution to discussions in political science and geopolitics.
Official synopsis Publisher
FINANCIAL TIMES, ECONOMIST, PROSPECT and EVENING STANDARD BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2019
*Winner of the 2020 Lionel Gelber Prize*
A landmark book that completely transforms our understanding of the crisis of liberalism, from two pre-eminent intellectuals
Why did the West, after winning the Cold War, lose its political balance?
In the early 1990s, hopes for the eastward spread of liberal democracy were high. And yet the transformation of Eastern European countries gave rise to a bitter repudiation of liberalism itself, not only there but also back in the heartland of the West.
In this brilliant work of political psychology, Ivan Krastev and Stephen Holmes argue that the supposed end of history turned out to be only the beginning of an Age of Imitation. Reckoning with the history of the last thirty years, they show that the most powerful force behind the wave of populist xenophobia that began in Eastern Europe stems from resentment at the post-1989 imperative to become Westernized.
Through this prism, the Trump revolution represents an ironic fulfillment of the promise that the nations exiting from communist rule would come to resemble the United States. In a strange twist, Trump has elevated Putin’s Russia and Orbán’s Hungary into models for the United States.
Written by two pre-eminent intellectuals bridging the East/West divide, The Light that Failed is a landmark book that sheds light on the extraordinary history of our Age of Imitation.
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