News & Politics

How to Build Democracy — in an Authoritarian Country | Tessza Udvarhelyi | TED

“Today, Hungary is in the gray zone between a dictatorship and a democracy,” says activist Tessza Udvarhelyi. “This did not happen overnight.” In a rousing talk, she reminds us just how close any country can come to authoritarianism — and offers on-the-ground lessons for how to keep democracy alive through focus, determination and imagination. (Followed…

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“Today, Hungary is in the gray zone between a dictatorship and a democracy,” says activist Tessza Udvarhelyi. “This did not happen overnight.” In a rousing talk, she reminds us just how close any country can come to authoritarianism — and offers on-the-ground lessons for how to keep democracy alive through focus, determination and imagination. (Followed by a brief Q&A with TED curator Cloe Shasha Brooks)

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60 Comments

  1. @aggnal2892

    January 11, 2024 at 12:42 pm

    TED needs to treat Coleman Hughes better.

  2. @Finman78

    January 11, 2024 at 12:46 pm

    Shouldn’t the CIA be giving this lecture? They’ve done in it in almost 80 countries to date.

    • @starc.

      January 11, 2024 at 1:14 pm

      thats what this is, outsourced to their flock

  3. @fanyzdupy

    January 11, 2024 at 12:56 pm

    This video is pure lies and propaganda.

    • @whyler1

      January 11, 2024 at 1:02 pm

      Care to elaborate?

    • @starc.

      January 11, 2024 at 2:26 pm

      @@whyler1 we cant because this platform hides the elaborations even if cleanly worded

    • @whyler1

      January 11, 2024 at 7:25 pm

      @@starc. Try at least.

  4. @agadavictor6947

    January 11, 2024 at 12:56 pm

    This is insightful and propelling. Many of us take for granted the current window of opportunity to foster our democracy forgetting that the more we allow democratic backslide, the harder it becomes to establish it. Just look at Iran.

    • @starc.

      January 11, 2024 at 1:26 pm

      is it democratic that currently your 1 thumbed up comment supporting the video is pushed to the top whereas anyone else exposing the lies of the video title is hidden

    • @zoranblackie5921

      January 11, 2024 at 2:04 pm

      @@starc. Honestly, what is your problem?

    • @agadavictor6947

      January 11, 2024 at 2:09 pm

      @@starc. Well, YouTube aligrithm says yes. That’s democratic enough.

    • @starc.

      January 11, 2024 at 2:23 pm

      @@zoranblackie5921 you’re all allowed to chat but I’m not simply because I start talking about the real problems and giving real solutions. Anything that distracts and wont help is promoted, anything true and real is …..

    • @starc.

      January 11, 2024 at 2:24 pm

      @@agadavictor6947 that proves my point that democracy is 4uth0r tar ian…. cant even type it here

  5. @elkinjohn

    January 11, 2024 at 1:05 pm

    This 51% democracy… I’m not sure it gets us to freedom… The dictatorship of the majority is my concern…

  6. @Toppu

    January 11, 2024 at 1:07 pm

    * laughing in Russian *

  7. @starc.

    January 11, 2024 at 1:22 pm

    nonsense title. I cant even explain it on here because this place is so “democratic”. To say the least Democracy is A …..

  8. @protectyour2a482

    January 11, 2024 at 1:28 pm

    You guys should give a constitutional republic a try

  9. @Diongreco

    January 11, 2024 at 1:46 pm

    Someone who’s paid by soros open society talks about authoritarian state? Wtf

  10. @lancewalker2595

    January 11, 2024 at 2:02 pm

    This is going to be an absolute doozy of ignorance, arrogance, and thinly veiled ambition…

  11. @SurfbyShootin

    January 11, 2024 at 2:32 pm

    This *Jewish* woman is right Open Society is critical. We need to empower George Soros to help reduce antisemitism and build democracies.

  12. @Yuusou.

    January 11, 2024 at 2:41 pm

    4:21 The name is Victator Orbán.

  13. @cirrus_skylar

    January 11, 2024 at 2:50 pm

    It sounds so unrealistic, to be honest. I certainly admire all the actions of these brave people, but what should people do who are really imprisoned for 8-10 years for an anti-war picket? for saying that we are against the war. I live in Russia, and I feel endless despair from this situation.

    • @sy7028789

      January 12, 2024 at 3:22 am

      stay strong brother

    • @liakiwirose

      January 12, 2024 at 4:48 am

      Hello from Russia either, I feel you =(

  14. @Warrior_Resisting_Colonialism

    January 11, 2024 at 3:07 pm

    It could be worse, you could be a hostage in the settler colony of the USA.

  15. @Warrior_Resisting_Colonialism

    January 11, 2024 at 3:10 pm

    3:40 – No.

  16. @vlad.olekhnovich

    January 11, 2024 at 3:29 pm

    🤡

  17. @anand4657

    January 11, 2024 at 4:34 pm

    What is this woman talking about ???! Hungary is a proud country !!! Stop lies of this woman!

  18. @anand4657

    January 11, 2024 at 4:35 pm

    She ‘s a traitor !!!

  19. @anand4657

    January 11, 2024 at 4:37 pm

    European Union is dictatorship!

  20. @yf4044

    January 11, 2024 at 4:38 pm

    But Hungarian people keep voting for this right wing party….

  21. @jaybee2745

    January 11, 2024 at 5:42 pm

    Sounds like American left wing BS lol.

  22. @mohammadmoazamigoudarzi1960

    January 11, 2024 at 5:43 pm

    The biggest and crucial dictatorship is America

  23. @lucyivanova3417

    January 11, 2024 at 6:08 pm

    Спасибо за совет…

    • @esdeath89

      January 17, 2024 at 6:09 am

      А зачем русским демократия?😅 они же Путина любят. 😂

  24. @yungrecentadvancement

    January 11, 2024 at 7:30 pm

    identifying functional nazis

  25. @arnswine

    January 11, 2024 at 7:40 pm

    Q: How do you build democracy in an internet-age, “free speech” democracy? 😉 
    A: Can’t. Identity, truth, public education, and personal accountability required. 

    Absent identity, useful information – once upon a time gathered, curated and organized by librarians – is buried under infinite deluges of counterfeit assertions that humans cannot process in normal lifespans. Lacking human identities and reliable repositories of truth as it evolves and accumulates over time, accountability becomes a thing of semi-random, ridiculously burdened prosecution… etc.

  26. @sanjose4239

    January 11, 2024 at 10:10 pm

    Stand with Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel!!!

  27. @isalutfi

    January 12, 2024 at 12:37 am

    Indonesia juga mengalami hal serupa, berada zona abu-abu, persimpangan jalan, antara *Dinasti Keluarga* dengan *Demokrasi yg berlandaskan teknokrasi/meritokrasi.* Semoga Pak Anies Baswedan menjadi Presiden Indonesia 2024-2029. AMIN

  28. @liakiwirose

    January 12, 2024 at 4:44 am

    Hello from Russia. That’s how it works. People don’t just turn evil overnight, don’t just say “oh we have a dictator now, we like it”. People are boiled slowly to a state, when they think that’s the onky way things work, there’s no chance of changing it etc.

  29. @user-rl2tk8lw7k

    January 12, 2024 at 5:21 am

    India also will soon become an authoritarian contry. Their modi government passed few bills in parliament just after suspending the entire opposition.

    Their prime minister is uneducated with a criminal background.

  30. @dilanecemdeniz

    January 12, 2024 at 7:59 am

    Municipal budget to be spent as the citizens see fit . Love it .

  31. @The6thelement9413

    January 12, 2024 at 8:07 am

    Thank you for your insight and encouragement. As a US citizen, like you, I will continue to fight for my freedoms, if our country loses its democracy this year. I learned much from my Russian and German in-laws to know that I do not ever want an authoritarian government. I fear for the lives of my seven young grandchildren.

  32. @HeroTalkTime

    January 12, 2024 at 10:43 am

    Shameful for a platform like TED to host such a video.

  33. @mariaantoniettamontella9173

    January 12, 2024 at 10:56 am

    good lesson

  34. @azerty8866

    January 12, 2024 at 2:23 pm

    what a surprise the west doesn’t like hungary, because they want to be friends with russia and the rest of the world

  35. @azerty8866

    January 12, 2024 at 2:27 pm

    aren’t people already tired of listening to this propoganda about some imaginary fake democracy? I’m pretty sure there are/were places that have/had more democracy than the western people will ever have.

  36. @craigbrowning9448

    January 12, 2024 at 2:46 pm

    Victor Orban is very anti-semitic and he and Benjamin Netanyahu are Bosom Buddies!

  37. @emanebied7977

    January 12, 2024 at 3:53 pm

    👍💯❤️

  38. @balazstivadar8631

    January 13, 2024 at 8:04 am

    Go Udvarhelyi Tessza go! Hajrá Udvarhelyi Tessza!

  39. @buttlord2223

    January 13, 2024 at 11:21 am

    Just a jew talking about how to subvert sovereign nations. Nbd

  40. @harriemeeuwis978

    January 13, 2024 at 12:12 pm

    There’s really not much difference from other western countries in the examples she mentions about civilians protesting against (bureaucratic) power. It happens in a lot of countries. Same methods, often same results. Possibly the US is different where the reaction of power can be very violent and oppressive. Look e.g. at the suppression of protest against the Gaza war.

    • @charleshorseman55

      January 16, 2024 at 10:18 pm

      You have screws loose.

  41. @mamunniloy2771

    January 13, 2024 at 8:06 pm

    Very good!!! Inspiring!!!!

  42. @calvinzhang3799

    January 14, 2024 at 2:58 am

    Do you think CCP China can build democracy from autocracy?

  43. @user-li5eo5cv8w

    January 14, 2024 at 9:00 am

    A lot of RESPECT!

  44. @ozgurozturk481

    January 14, 2024 at 1:20 pm

    (ARRETA) Turkiako Burtsak ARDYZ adimen artifizialaren eta defentsa enpresaren akzioak Jarraitzen ditu, oso merkeak izaten jarraitzen dutenak veryanbulgo Burtsako kideekin alderatuta…ARDIZ akzioek irabazi handiak ere lor ditzakete epe luzera

  45. @jamesalanstephensmith7930

    January 14, 2024 at 6:15 pm

    Good for you!

  46. @mariajuhasz-haverinen350

    January 16, 2024 at 2:22 pm

    Szívből gratulálok Tessza 👏👏👏 csak így tovább 🤞 Juhász Mária, Stockholm

  47. @CyScorpion

    January 16, 2024 at 7:21 pm

    the USA Democracy is a literal boiling pot of water getting turned up more every hour because people are taking our democracy for granted and letting themselves be superficially distracted while the Careless pretend to agree with them while finding every way they can to take just a little bit more of our living human rights away. Sure we have several wins to speak for like LGBQT and Marijuana Legalization but that’s not remotely enough. Personally not doing as well as I could I find myself prevented by the money needs of this abusive democracy and frankly have sought to leave it several times only to find out its the same if not worse in my views all over the world.

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