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Do you believe in an open society? Then act in the open. Do you believe in a decent and humane society? Then behave decently and humanely.

Adam Michnik

The real struggle for us is for the citizen to cease to be the property of the state.
ADAM MICHNIK

Cease Citizen Property Real State Struggle
Today we reject the notion of equality between a regime that belongs to the democratic world – even if it is conservative and disagreeable – and a totalitarian dictatorship, whether its colors are black, red, or green.
ADAM MICHNIK

Black Color Democratic Equality Notion Reject World
Start doing the things you think should be done, and start being what you think society should become.
ADAM MICHNIK

Doing Done Life Love Society Start Wisdom
The main difference between the Prague Spring and the Velvet Revolution was that the former was mostly the work of Communist party members and others who wanted to bring about ‘socialism with a human face.’
ADAM MICHNIK

Communist Difference Face Former Human Main Member Party Prague Revolution Socialism Spring Velvet
After the fall of communism in Poland, we had a post-communist as president for two terms: Aleksander Kwasniewski. He was very good. He brought Poland into NATO and the European Union.
ADAM MICHNIK

Communism Communist Country Fall Judging Justice President Term
Israel is the only country in the Middle East where Arabs can be elected to the parliament in a democratic election.
ADAM MICHNIK

Country Democratic East Elected Election Middle Parliament
Both men have an authoritarian idea of government; democracy is merely a façade.
ADAM MICHNIK

Both Democracy Facade Government Idea Man Merely
We lack a political culture, a culture of compromise. We in Poland, as well as the Hungarians, have never learned this sort of thing.
ADAM MICHNIK

Children Compromise Country Cultural Lack Political Strong
I think it’s always dangerous to make political arguments in a religiously ideological way. And it’s very dangerous to treat as traitors to the American nation those who think differently.
ADAM MICHNIK

Argument Dangerous Ideological Political Religiously Thinking Way
This is why we will never again say that Chamberlain is no better than Hitler, Roosevelt no better than Stalin, and Nixon no better than Mao Zedong, even if we do condemn Roosevelt for Yalta, Chamberlain for Munich, and Nixon for Watergate.
ADAM MICHNIK

Again Better never Say
Do you believe in an open society? Then act in the open. Do you believe in a decent and humane society? Then behave decently and humanely.
ADAM MICHNIK

Act Believe Decently Humane Humanely Open Society
A part of society in our countries would still prefer an authoritarian regime today. These are people with the mentality of Homo sovieticus. But they also exist in France – just think of Le Pen – and even in Finland and Sweden.
ADAM MICHNIK

Authoritarian Country People Prefer Regime Society Thinking Today
Politics and ethics belong to different worlds.
ADAM MICHNIK

Different Ethics Politics World
They want a gradual coup. If Orbán stayed in power in Hungary or if Kaczynski were to win an election in our country, it would be dangerous.
ADAM MICHNIK

Country Coup Dangerous Election Gradual Hungary Orban Power
Demagoguery and populism are rampant. We are the illegitimate children, the bastards of communism. It shaped our mentality.
ADAM MICHNIK

Bastard Children Communism Demagoguery Illegitimate Mentality Populism Shape
We still have politicians who strive for a different type of country: Kaczynski as well as Orbán in Hungary.
ADAM MICHNIK

Country Different Hungary Man Politician Strive Type Winning

Do you believe in an open society? Then act in the open. Do you believe in a decent and humane society? Then behave decently and humanely.

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Do you believe in an open society? Then act in the open. Do you believe in a decent and humane society? Then behave decently and humanely.

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