with Bálint Magyar, Miklos Marschall, and Alina Mungiu-Pippidi

Over the last years, many of the post-communist states of Central and Eastern Europe experienced a new type of politics, characterised by new political elites capturing the state and moving away from a transition to a more democratic system. In his recent book Post-Communist Mafia State: the case of Hungary, Bálint Magyar characterises this system as the 'organised over-world,' the 'state employing mafia methods' and the 'adopted political family,' applying these categories not as metaphors but elements of a coherent conceptual framework. The actions of the post-communist mafia state model are closely aligned with the interests of power and wealth concentrated in the hands of a small group of insiders. While the traditional mafia channelled wealth and economic players into its spheres of influence by means of direct coercion, the mafia state does the same by means of parliamentary legislation, legal prosecution, tax authority, police forces and secret service. The innovative conceptual framework of the book is important and timely not only for Hungary, but also for other post-communist countries subjected to autocratic rules.

Following a book presentation, Bálint Magyar will be joined by Alina Mungiu-Pippidi and Keno Verseck (tbc), to discuss perspectives on the post-communist mafia state, with a focus on Hungary and other states in Central and Eastern Europe. The panel will be chaired by Miklos Marschall.

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Time & Location

Tuesday, 23 May 2017  |  6:00 - 8:00 pm

Hertie School of Governance
Forum, 1st floor
Friedrichstraße 180, 10117 Berlin

Please find more information here.