After the Fall summary

Identity politics. You’ve probably heard the term a lot over the past decade, since it sits at the heart of nationalism, which has also seen a troubling rise in the post-Cold War era. Right-wing politicians are eager to exploit voters’ fears about national identity and rail against any possible threat, be it loose Western morals or Muslim refugees.

In order to stir a sense of national pride, these politicians also bend reality. They present an uncomplicated version of their nations’ histories – one that any voter can enthusiastically embrace. 

Ironically enough, while Orbán began his career fighting against corruption and Russian influence, he ended up in a long courtship with Russia. In the US, the Republican party has taken the same strange journey – from demonizing Russia during the Cold War to openly admiring it today.

The reason is that few leaders have shown a better grasp of the authoritarian playbook than Russian president Vladimir Putin. And if your aim is to consolidate power and wealth while silencing your opponents, then Putin is certainly someone to look up to.

America’s War on Terror was a direct response to the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Obviously, the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were bound to change the US, but that doesn’t mean its reaction was necessarily a good one.

What followed was a nationalistic and militaristic response. With the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and the approval of the PATRIOT Act, civil liberties were eroded. The result was the invasion of countries that had had little to do with the 9/11 attack, and images and reports of the US military torturing people overseas. 

If we look at Hungary, we see a modern, Western version of nationalist authoritarianism. If we look at Russia, we see old-fashioned ideas of sovereignty and aggressive national security. In China, we see what could very well be the future.

All three countries bear the influence of the United States, but it’s perhaps most evident in China, where late-stage capitalism and technological surveillance have collided to create something else entirely.

China’s president Xi Jinping was commenting on the internet when he said, “Freedom is what order is meant for, and order is the guarantee of freedom.” If you think that sounds a lot like “Freedom is slavery,” which was the slogan for the Party in George Orwell’s 1984, you’re not alone.

Like Russia, China had been observing the possibilities of social media and the new online technologies emerging from the US over the past twenty years, and saw potential. In the case of China, this technology would form the backbone of a new “social credit” system.

The story of what’s happened around the world since the fall of the Berlin Wall isn’t just about leaders like Orbán, Putin, and Xi. It’s also filled with smaller, more personal tales of how the big decisions can affect us all.

There’s Sandor Lederer, a half-Jewish Hungarian who, like Orbán, experienced a political awakening fighting corruption in politics. But now, Lederer’s anti-corruption watchdog is considered an “enemy of the state.” Then there’s Zhanna Nemtsova, daughter of the assassinated Boris Nemtsov, who set up a foundation to promote liberal politics and democracy in his memory.