Karel Müller (CEVRO University, Prague)
In my presentation, I will summarize the key historical preconditions of civil society formation in Central and Eastern Europe through the lens of the Czech context. I will try to show what were the conditions and forms of civil society and liberal democracy emancipation in the conditions of political powerlessness of the communist regime (Václav Havel) and in the situation of not been able to take a national existence for granted (Milan Kundera). Czech civil society today is both politically empowered and takes national existence for granted, although the ghosts of these national historical auto-stereotypes (feelings of powerlessness and existential treats) still haunts it from time to time. Extremist political forces (on the left and right), with significant support from the enemies of European liberal and democratic society, are constantly striving to politically exploit these two stereotypes. This, in turn, threatens the geopolitical position of the Czech Republic (CEE), as well as the freedom and security of the entire EU. I will also try to propose practical measures to prevent and manage these dangers.