Most people have never heard of István Bibó, but a new anthology of his translated essays aims to change that. Bibó (1911-1979) was a Hungarian political theorist who either could not or would not avoid proximity to the most sordid events of the mid-20th century.

He mined history to explain Nazi Germany, the warping of the Hungarian mind, and the Russian Revolution?s failure, giving the problem a common name: political hysteria. Yet Bibó was adamant that history did not set forth inevitable outcomes; even a great shock or overwhelming dread need not result in a politics gone mad: ?The fundamental faculties of an individual or a community define not what they will or should be but the many things they can be.?

Having witnessed more than once how democratic states failed to live up to their own standards, Bibó described a world at least somewhat like our own, wherein the word ?democracy? is hollowed out from overuse and misapplication. When everyone, even authoritarians, claims to be its champion, what do we even mean by ?democracy?? The test, Bibó wrote, is fear. ?To be a democrat is first and foremost not to be afraid.?

While Soviet-style communism disappointed and later outright persecuted him, it was anti-democratic nationalism that Bibó considered ?the most terrifying monstrosity of political development in modern times.?

Meanwhile, ?anti-communism with a Bolshevik face? has come to dominate Hungarian political culture. Nor is Hungary the only nationalist country led by a charismatic strongman who has made opposition difficult, if not impossible (viz. Russia and Turkey). But Bibó believed that sooner or later delusion would meet fact. Thereafter, for better or worse, anything could happen.