Only when we understand the reasons for the rise of illiberal politicians can we formulate an effective response to their popularity. It’s not enough to be on the “right side” of history; liberals’ blindness to the true causes of illiberalism’s advance translates to an inability to act under new political circumstances and bitter disappointment at the ballot box. This book presents the most important assessments of Poland’s illiberal shift after 2015, explaining certain phenomena that occurred earlier than in the US, the UK, or even Germany. For this reason, Poland can offer meaningful lessons to other countries.

'The contributors to this volume regard contemporary Poland as a political laboratory and not a deviation from established European norms. This is not another book about the populist shift in Central Europe; rather, it’s about illiberalism as an experiment in a political environment torn apart by the contradictions of the 21st century'. - Ivan Krastev

Translation: Arthur Barys, Adam Carr, Jan Pytalski, Jan Szelągiewicz
Polish version editor: Łukasz Bertram
English version editor: Alexa Dvorson
Additional assistance: John Palattella
Cover design by Piotr Kieżun