The Light that Failed
A Reckoning
Stephen Holmes author Ivan Krastev author
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Penguin Books Ltd
Published:30th Apr '20
Should be back in stock very soon
This influential work by Ivan Krastev and Stephen Holmes explores the crisis of liberalism, examining the unexpected rise of populism and the impact of Eastern Europe's transformation on the West.
The Light that Failed is a significant work by Ivan Krastev and Stephen Holmes that delves into the complexities surrounding the crisis of liberalism in the post-Cold War era. The authors explore the initial optimism of the early 1990s, when the spread of liberal democracy seemed inevitable, particularly in Eastern Europe. However, this optimism soon gave way to disillusionment, as many countries began to reject liberal ideals, leading to a resurgence of populism and xenophobia.
Krastev and Holmes argue that the decline of liberalism is rooted in a deep-seated resentment toward the Westernization that followed the fall of communism. They contend that this resentment has been a driving force behind the rise of populist movements, not just in Eastern Europe but also in the West. The authors present a compelling analysis of how the political landscape has shifted, with figures like Donald Trump drawing inspiration from Eastern European leaders such as Vladimir Putin and Viktor Orbán, who have come to symbolize a new model of governance that challenges traditional liberal values.
Through their insightful examination, Krastev and Holmes illuminate the paradox of the post-1989 world, where the promise of democracy has often led to its disillusionment. The Light that Failed serves as an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the current political climate and the ongoing struggles of liberalism, making a profound contribution to the discourse on democracy and its future.
A brilliant, original book on the crisis of modern liberalism. . . a must read to understand our present discontents -- Lionel Barber * Financial Times Books of the Year *
If you read one book to understand the state of the world today, make it this one. Aphoristic, counter-intuitive and amusing, a single page provides more insight into populism than libraries of books on Brexit or Trump. . . Extraordinary and compelling. . . Its subject matter is bleak but the deep learning, humour and humanity of its authors shines through -- Mark Leonard * Prospect *
A brilliant explanation of the mess we are in. . . written with wonderfully dry wit * Evening Standard Books of the Year *
An important book that fizzes with ideas. . . There is a smart insight or elegant paradox on almost every page. . . This book poses in stark terms the dilemma for those who took for granted the ideas that created the postwar western world * Sunday Times *
Sharp, polemical and ideas-packed * Economist *
Compelling and witty * Prospect Books of the Year *
An unflinchingly honest explanation of what has gone wrong in the west - and the east - since 1989 * Financial Times *
A bracing analysis of post-Cold War politics, upending cherished assumptions and forcing us to look afresh at the complex dialectic of liberalism and illiberalism -- George Soros
This is a book about imitation by a couple of utterly inimitable authors. It is the most original explanation I've read of the self-destruction of the liberal West as universal utopia. Scathing yet fair -- Peter Pomerantsev, author of Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible
Witty, incisive, devastating: an unforgettable analysis of why the light of liberalism failed in Eastern Europe, and why resentment towards imitation of the West has fueled the furies of the populist revolt -- Michael Ignatieff, President of Central European University, Budapest
ISBN: 9780141988108
Dimensions: 196mm x 128mm x 20mm
Weight: 180g
256 pages