Why Poland Matters: Sources of Radical Power in Eastern Europe and the World

press release: 206 Ingraham Hall.

Speaker: David Ost, professor, political science, Hobart and William Smith Colleges

In its third year of power, Poland’s far right Law and Justice party enjoys greater public support than ever before. Where other far right parties have alienated large numbers of citizens, has Law and Justice found a way to make 'fascism' acceptable again? With policies including family benefits, enforced labor laws, and higher wages for the working poor, Law and Justice harks back to classical notions of 'national socialism,' with the modern twist of allowing an opposition to exist (though with restrictions limiting its capacities). Why is the party so difficult to challenge? The far right no longer just threatens to take power. In Poland and Hungary it already has, even while it faces critics even further to the right. Poland helps us understand the sources of the far right’s new strength, and provides hints as to its potential weaknesses.​