Statue of Liberty, New York City (Pixabay)

The Case for Immigration in America

‘A new study finds that 80 per cent of immigrants in the labor force are more likely to become entrepreneurs. Immigrant entrepreneurs have tended to have a more profound impact on overall labor demand by starting companies that hire new workers, creating a positive ripple-effect on the economy. In fact, as reported by Forbes, an estimated 45 per cent of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children, among them America’s top companies.’

Chinese President Xi Jinping (CL) and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (CR) stand in front of the Carmelita Monastery in Budapest prior to their official talks on 9 May 2024.

Why Is Hungary Turning to China? A Cultural Theory

‘It seems to me that Orbán sees his people as having a greater chance of surviving the disintegration of the West by forming ties to China. He might be proven wrong by history. But make no mistake: the dilemma facing Viktor Orbán is a lot like that facing Grand Prince Géza: How to strengthen the position of the small Hungarian nation amid the struggle of powerful states and empires? Géza’s geopolitical decision to baptism his son as a Latin Christian set the course of Hungarian history for a millennium. The stakes may well be as high for Orbán today.’

Meeting of Francis II Rákóczi and Tamás Esze

When the Hungarians Took Their Fate into Their Own Hands, Defying the Might of Europe — Rákóczi’s War of Independence

Two important events played a role in Rákóczi’s return to Hungary in 1703. On the one hand, the unfolding War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714), which meant the withdrawal of most of the imperial regiments from the country, and on the other, the uprising of the serfs of Munkács, provided the perfect opportunity for Rákóczi to organize an armed rebellion. At the request of Tamás Esze, the leader of the uprising in the Tiszahát region, Francis II Rákóczi took the lead in the what developed into a War of Independence, issuing a proclamation calling on nobles and non-nobles alike to take up arms.

The Spirit of ’56

‘This 4th of July, my own country’s independence day, Americans can look with solidarity to the struggles of Hungary and of all democracies against the many faces of tyranny in these last few centuries.’

USD Is Still King of All Currencies Despite Fears of It Losing Global Dominance

‘In the end, the USD’s centrality to the system of global payments also increases the power of sanctions it imposes on other countries or individuals. In truth, since almost all trade is done in American dollars, even trade among other countries, they can always be subject to US sanctions because they are handled by so-called correspondent banks with accounts at the Federal Reserve. By cutting off the ability to transact in USD, Washington can make it uncomfortable for those it blacklists to do business.’

Professor James Allan Discusses Lawfare Against Donald Trump, Mark Steyn

Commenting on the European Court of Justice’s recent ruling against Hungary, Professor Allan opined that the Court’s ‘interpretive approach to reading the underlying legal materials is living constitutionalism on steroids.’ He added: ‘If it were an American court or a Canadian court doing it, I’d say they’re making it up at the point of application, they’re just making the law up. When that starts happening it’s very difficult to know how to deal with it.’

St Ladislaus fighting the Cumans — detail of a mural in the Early Gothic (14th c.) Lutheran church of Karaszkó (Kraskovo), Slovakia

Cumans in Medieval Hungary

The great confederation of the Cumans was one of the steppe tribal confederations of Turkic origin, which successfully represented and spread the once mighty ‘steppe civilization’ to a significant part of Eastern Europe. Although the Cuman state was unfortunately destroyed in the power and political dimensions, the descendants of the Cumans still live here among us in Hungary. People with Cuman-Hungarian identity greatly enriched the medieval (and modern) Hungarian nation and strengthened the Eastern relations of Hungarians alongside the also vital Western connections.

Portrait of Vladislaus II on the letter patent of nobility of János Gersei Pethő.

The Last Jagiellonians on the Hungarian Throne and Their Chronicler — The Champions of Christianity and Their Criticism

The contrast between the brilliant achievements of King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary and the inertia of the kingdom of the Jagiellonians is almost a cliché in Hungarian history. To this day, many seek the causes of the 1526 Mohács tragedy in the damaging reign of the weak Jagiellonians. However, more recent Hungarian and international historical research has taken a much more positive view of the Dynasty’s performance.