New Conservatives in Russia and East Central Europe (Routledge Contemporary Russia and Eastern Europe Series)

This book explores the emergence, and in Poland, Hungary, and Russia the coming to power, of politicians and political parties rejecting the consensus around market reforms, democratization, and rule of law that has characterized moves toward an "open society" from the 1990s. It discusses how over the last decade these political actors, together with various think tanks, intellectual circles, and religious actors, have increasingly presented themselves as "conservatives," and outlines how these actors are developing a new local brand of conservatism as a full-fledged ideology that counters the perceived liberal overemphasis on individual rights and freedom, and differs from the ideology of the established, present-day conservative parties of Western Europe. Overall, the book argues that the "renaissance of conservatism" in these countries represents variations on a new, illiberal conservatism that aims to re-establish a strong state sovereignty defining and pursuing a national path of development. Cover Half Title Book Title Copyright Contents Illustrations Figures Tables Contributors Editors Contributors Acknowledgments 1 Introduction: toward a new illiberal conservatism in Russia and East Central Europe The return of conservatism Explanations for the rise of illiberalism Defining conservatism Chapter synopsis Notes References Part I Genealogies 2 Russia’s conservative counter-movement: genesis, actors, and core concepts Introduction From communism to conservatism: the production of a new meta-frame A regrouping of the Russian conservatives Core concepts in the new Russian conservatism Conclusions Notes References 3 The universal and the particular in Russian conservatism Introduction Conservatism’s binary nature The Russian case Universalism in Russian conservatism Particularism in Russian conservatism Reconciling the universal and the particular Conclusion References 4 Against “post-communism: the conservative dawn in Hungary Introduction Interpreting the Orbán project: the role of ideational foundations A conservative network of knowledge Conclusions Notes References 5 New conservatism in Poland: the discourse coalition around Law and Justice Introduction Development of conservatism as an alternative to liberalism and social democracy The conservative discourse Conservatism and the rise of Law and Justice Conservatism and the post-2015 “good change” Conclusion Notes References 6 The national conservative parties in Poland and Hungary and their core supporters compared: values and socio-structural background Introduction The political turn in Hungary and Poland Why did Fidesz and PiS succeed? The socio-economic background of supporters for PiS and Fidesz in comparison Values and attitudes of the neo-conservative parties’ supporters Committed party supporters as the core? How similar are PiS and Fidesz? Outlook Notes References 7 “Conservative modernization” and the rise of Law and Justice in Poland Introduction The self-definitionof the PiS government and its political roots The “conservative modernization” strategy: genesis and main ideas The PiS government approach to socio-economic policy The fundamental controversy over the “conservative modernization” strategy Concluding remarks Notes References Part II Translations 8 The limits of conservative influence on economic policy in Russia Introduction Theory: instrumental value of conservatism for authoritarian regimes The political conservatism of the Russian government haslimited the choice of economic policies State–business relations limit business opportunities to influence politics Economic centralization has limited the influence of regions Alternative economic models of conservative modernization “Liberal” economics and conservative politics Liberals after the Crimea annexation “More state control” alternatives Conclusion Notes References 9 The “Budapest–Warsaw Express”: conservatism and the diffusion of economic policies in Poland and Hungary Introduction Hungary as the avant-garde of heterodox economic policies in ECE The 2015 turn in Polish politics and the search for a new policy model Conclusion References 10 Gender in the resurgent Polish conservatism Introduction Women’s rights and reproductive health under the PiS government since 2015 Gender issues in a longer perspective Conclusion Notes References 11 “Traditional values” unleashed: the ultraconservative influence on Russian family policy Introduction Forging the ultraconservative coalition The ultraconservative agenda Translation into politics: successes and limits Conclusion Notes References 12 Religious conservatism in post-Soviet Russia and its relation to politics: empirical findings from ethnographic fieldwork Introduction Traditional moral values Religious conservatism and the re-emergence of Cossack groups Celebration of the end of the “Great Patriotic War” in Vladimir The “Day of Mercy” at the Orthodox High School in Vladimir Conclusion Notes References 13 Ready for diffusion?: Russia’s “cultural turn” and the post-Soviet space Introduction Diffusion of moral conservatism Moral conservatism in the post-Soviet space Politicization of moral conservatism Russia’s urgent need for power consolidation Russia as a sender of moral conservatism? Diffusion in Kyrgyzstan Diffusion in Kazakhstan Conclusion Notes References 14 The emergence and propagation of new conservatism in post-communist countries: systematization and outlook Introduction Conservative counter-movement Similarities and differences “Authoritarian diffusion” and Trojan horses? The international orientation of new conservatives A differing relationship between ideologists and state power Notes References Index Introduction: towards a new illiberal conservatism in Russia and Central Eastern Europe / Katharina Bluhm and Mihai Varga -- Russia's conservative counter-movement: genesis, actors and core concepts / Katharina Bluhm -- The universal and the particular in Russian conservatism / Paul Robinson -- Against "post-communism": the conservative dawn in Hungary / Aron Buzogány and Mihai Varga -- New conservatism in Poland: the discourse coalition around law and justice / Ewa Dabrowska -- The national conservative parties in Poland and Hungary and their core supporters compared: values and socio-structural background / Jochen Roose and Ireneusz Pawel Karolewski -- "Conservative modernization" and the rise of law and justice in Poland / Krzysztof Jasiecki -- The limits of conservative influence on economic policy in Russia / Irina Busygina and Mikhail Filippov -- The Budapest-Warsaw express: conservatism and the diffusion of economic policies in Poland and Hungary / Ewa Dabrowska, Aron Buzogány, and Mihai Varga -- Gender in the resurgent Polish conservatism / Agnieszka Wierzcholska -- "Traditional values" unleashed: the ultraconservative influence on Russian family policy / Katharina Bluhm and Martin Brand -- Religious conservatism in post-Soviet Russia and its relation to politics: empirical findings from ethnographic fieldwork / Tobias Köllner -- Ready for diffusion: Russia's "cultural turn" and the post-Soviet space / Sebastian Schieck and Azam Isabaev -- The emergence and propagation of new conservatism in post-communist countries: systematization and outlook / Katharina Bluhm and Mihai Varga "This book explores the emergence, and in Poland, Hungary, and Russia the coming to power, of politicians and political parties rejecting the consensus around market reforms, democratisation, and rule of law that has characterised moves towards an 'open society' from the 1990s. It discusses how over the last decade these political actors, together with various think tanks, intellectual circles and religious actors, have increasingly presented themselves as "conservatives", and outlines how these actors are developing a new local brand of conservatism as a full-fledged ideology which counters the perceived liberal overemphasis on individual rights and freedom, and differs from the ideology of the established, present-day conservative parties of Western Europe. Overall, the book argues that the 'renaissance of conservatism' in these countries represents variations on a new, illiberal conservatism that aims to re-establish a strong state sovereignly defining and pursuing national interests"-- Provided by publisher