Mate Hajba

Director of the Free Market Foundation, which advocates economic freedom, civil rights and tolerance. He is also the Vice President of Civic Platform, which runs anti-racist campaigns and promotes democratic values. He is interested in the relationship between the state and the individual and in the concept and history of liberty. He writes for international press on issues such as intolerance in Hungary and international relations. To promote the concept of individualism, liberty, tolerance and free market, he co-founded a youth organization named Eötvös Club.

Economy

Public Versus Private Trains

BY Mate Hajba AND Free Market Foundation / November 14, 2023

The railway line between Budapest and the West-Hungarian town of Győr is being renovated to breathe new life into the struggling public railway system. Győr, incidentally my hometown, features two university buildings connected by a skybridge shaped like a railway car. As of recently, these few meters are the only reliable means of long-distance transportation that railcars can carry passengers in the country.

Society

Communism Is Creeping Back in Hungary

BY Mate Hajba AND Free Market Foundation / September 26, 2023

The Hungarian government is pandering to its elderly voters through nostalgia. However, unlike other populists who promise to bring back a glorious and nonexistent past, the Hungarian leadership is putting hammer and sickle to work on bringing back communism - an era when their pensioner voter base was young and when absolutely nothing functioned properly.

Review #19

REVIEW #19: Impact of the War in Ukraine on the Hungarian Government: How Viktor Orbán Capitalized on the Invasion

BY Mate Hajba AND 4liberty.eu / September 14, 2023

While other European states redoubled in a tour de force of liberal values, the Hungarian government sunk even deeper into illiberalism and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán further consolidated his power, despite a dismal economic performance and international ostracism.

Society

The Web of Innovation: From Railways to Routers – Journey through Connectivity

BY Mate Hajba AND Free Market Foundation / August 4, 2023

Connectivity has undeniably simplified life for people worldwide. However, the remarkable mechanisms behind this connectivity often go unnoticed as we simply enjoy its fruits. When talking to friends and family most do not know how exactly the Internet works. A study conducted in the US confirms this: 80% of respondents cannot explain how we get the Internet. It comes from the Wi-Fi, doesn\'t it?

Politics

Hungarian Government Might Want Kids Not To Read Harry Potter

BY Mate Hajba AND Free Market Foundation / July 31, 2023

In the fifth installment of the popular Harry Potter books, Dolores Umbridge, the personification of government meddling in education, forbids professors in Hogwarts from disclosing anything beyond what is strictly pertinent to their lessons. One rebellious schoolkid, however, points out in Umbridge\'s class that she cannot reprimand him for misbehaving during the lesson, as it is irrelevant to the subject. He gets detention.

Society

Krtek Would Enjoy Cities Now

BY Mate Hajba AND Free Market Foundation / July 12, 2023

Human-centric cities are much more pleasant than the centrally planned monstrosities during communism, but it is not only people but the flora and fauna that can also be thankful for free markets and democracy. One of my favorite books as a little child was a story of Krtek, the beloved mole from the cartoons of Czech artist Zdeněk Miler. The story, written during communism, depicts how the little mole with his critter friends find themselves in the middle of a city development project.

Politics

Mosquitoes: Symptom of Bad Government

BY Mate Hajba AND Free Market Foundation / July 12, 2023

Hungarians are eager to eradicate mosquitoes, but it seems that the government is reluctant to collaborate with its citizens in doing so. Mosquitoes are a big problem everywhere. Not only do they annoy people with their hums and the itchiness of their bites, but also spread a lot of diseases. Therefore, when I visited rural Hungary, I inadvertently served as an open buffet for a cloud of these pests while conversing with someone from a small Hungarian village.

Politics

Hungarian History Lessons

BY Mate Hajba AND Free Market Foundation / July 11, 2023

Although history repeats itself, if it is not taught properly, we will not learn from it. Hungarian education distorts the events of the past to accommodate a glorified but inaccurate image of historic Hungary. Instead of teaching historic facts, classes often incorporate folk tales and other romanticized stories. In the lower grades of primary school education, history is taught through stories, which is appropriate.

Review #18

REVIEW #18: Children in the 21^st Century: The Case of Hungary

BY Mate Hajba AND 4liberty.eu / April 25, 2023

EU countries are trying desperately to incentivize people to boost the population –to little avail. This phenomenon, in turn, leads to an aging population, which increasingly burdens social systems.

Society

Where Do We Stand?

BY Mate Hajba AND Free Market Foundation / March 22, 2023

It used to be easy to gain a lot of information from the way a person looked. You might try it today in Europe, and still get it right in at least some of the cases, but you will be completely baffled once an American walks into a room.