Today, August 12, George Soros turns 92. Pictured here on Wall Street in 1962, he emigrated to the United States in 1956, entering the world of finance and investments, where he made his fortune. Soros left his native Budapest in 1947 for London, as the Communists consolidated power in Hungary after World War II, working part-time as a railway porter and as a night-club waiter to support his studies at the London School of Economics. In 1973, he launched his own hedge fund and went on to become one of the most successful investors in the history of the United States. He later used his fortune to create the @opensocietyfoundations—a network of foundations, partners, and projects in more than 120 countries that work to build vibrant and inclusive democracies whose governments are accountable to their citizens.
The Ridenhour Courage Prize comes at a time when open society values are under attack around the world, including in the United States. “I on my part recognize this award as a wider tribute to the brave and committed people I have worked with over the years through the @opensocietyfoundations. These are the people who have the courage to speak out. For accountability. For justice. For human dignity. Today many of them are facing a concerted effort to silence them, and to demonize them.” George Soros receives the Ridenhour Courage Prize from Heather McGhee on April 15, 2019 in Washington, D.C. #opensociety #ridenhour
Growing up in Hungary and living through the Nazi occupation was a formative experience. Seeing my father not only persevere in the face of evil, but also help others, has informed my view of the world and inspired my commitment to building open societies. Learn more at sorosfilm.com. Tivadar Soros with his sons, George and Paul, in 1935.
China’s Xi Jinping is the greatest threat that open societies face today, yet internal threats might be his undoing. This is a critical year for the future of the world. China’s 20th Communist Party Congress will decide whether to give Xi a third term in office, the U.S. will hold crucial mid-term elections in November, and climate change remains a paramount policy challenge for the world. The most dominant geopolitical feature now, however, is the escalating conflict between two systems of governance diametrically opposed to each other: the open society as represented by the United States and the closed society as represented by China. Which one will prevail? China’s roiling real estate market, falling population, and, especially, the fast-spreading omicron variant threaten Xi as China’s leader, all during or soon after his prestige project of the Winter Olympics. Read my thoughts on this through the link in bio.
China’s Xi Jinping is the greatest threat that open societies face today, yet internal threats might be his undoing. This is a critical year for the future of the world. China’s 20th Communist Party Congress will decide whether to give Xi a third term in office, the U.S. will hold crucial mid-term elections in November, and climate change remains a paramount policy challenge for the world. The most dominant geopolitical feature now, however, is the escalating conflict between two systems of governance diametrically opposed to each other: the open society as represented by the United States and the closed society as represented by China. Which one will prevail? China’s roiling real estate market, falling population, and, especially, the fast-spreading omicron variant threaten Xi as China’s leader, all during or soon after his prestige project of the Winter Olympics. Read my thoughts on this through the link in bio.
China’s social credit system is the most pernicious example of the inherent advantage that artificial intelligence gives to authoritarian regimes over open societies. Once fully operational, it will subordinate the fate of the individual to the interests of the one-party state in ways unprecedented in history. Against this background, the Chinese people remain a source of hope. Click on the link in bio to read the full speech from #WEF19 in Davos, Switzerland.
Repost from @alexsoros – Thank you to Austrian Chancellor @sebastiankurz for receiving my father and me in Vienna. Great discussing #centraleuropeanuniversity’s future in Austria and a range of other issues, including regional integration in the #WesternBalkans. 🇦🇹🇪🇺 #vienna #austria #kurz @ceuhungary #ceu #balkans
I have witnessed Ukraine transform from a collapsing part of the Soviet Union to a liberal democracy and an open society. It has faced countless acts of Russian aggression, but has persisted. Brave Ukrainians are now on the frontline and risking their lives. The horrible images coming out of Ukraine remind me of war torn Budapest in 1944 and the siege of Sarajevo in 1993. It is important that both the transatlantic alliance (the United States, Canada, the European Union, and the United Kingdom) but also other nations do whatever is in their power to support Ukraine in its time of existential threat. Putin’s actions are a direct attack on the sovereignty of all States that were once in the Soviet Union, and beyond. Russia is in clear violation of the United Nations charter and should be held accountable. Allowing Putin to succeed on his quest will send a message across the world that nations can simply be created or dissolved by brute force. We must stand with Ukraine, as they stand for us.
When pluralism was under attack in Sarajevo, the people joined together to ensure the survival of the city and its culture. Now, looking back over 20 years after the war, the city of Sarajevo still stands as a testament not only to open society’s vulnerability, but also to its resiliency and strength. Learn more at https://osf.to/bosnia. George Soros meets with engineers and a crew working to restore gas lines for besieged residents of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in November 1993, part of his $50 million relief efforts during the war. Photo credit: Beka Vuco/Open Society Foundations #opensociety
After the financial crisis of 2008 we failed to make the comprehensive changes needed to protect the workers who are the heart of our societies. Now, with a commitment of more than $130 million to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, my foundations will focus on supporting those individuals and communities who are most vulnerable at this dangerous time.
I was born in Budapest, in the middle of the Great Depression, barley a decade after the Spanish Flu left thousands of dead in the city. Not unlike that global pandemic, COVID-19 knows no boundaries, not between countries, communities, religions or people. The organization I founded, the Open Society Foundations, will contribute 1 million euro to aid the city of Budapest in solidarity with the people of my birthplace in the midst of this unprecedented emergency.
Education is vital to creating personal autonomy and to counter the rising tide of threats against open societies. The Open Society University Network will serve as an international platform for teaching and research, and I consider it the most important and enduring project of my life. To learn more, please find my speech from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland at the link in bio.
At this revolutionary moment, when so much hard-won progress is being attacked by the forces of division and hatred, it is imperative that those who believe in democracy and human dignity speak out for what they know is right. The open society will always have its enemies, but now is our time to reaffirm our commitment to a world of equality, tolerance, justice, and peace. Please follow the link in bio for more.
The majority of the U.S. Supreme Court is extremist, as seen in the recent decisions to overturn abortion rights, weaken gun control laws, and deny the executive branch tools to combat climate change. The arguments they have used to justify their decisions could endanger many other rights. This is part of a carefully laid plan to turn the U.S. into a repressive regime. There is only one way to rein in the Supreme Court: throw the Republican Party out of office in a landslide. That would allow Congress to protect through legislation the rights that had been entrusted to the protection of the Supreme Court. It is now clear that doing so was a big mistake. Congress must act, starting with protecting a woman’s right to choose. If the filibuster must be amended to achieve that, so be it. Read more through the link in my bio. #OpenSociety #RoeVWade #BansOffOurBodies #ReproductiveJustice
Despite clear signs that China’s President Xi Jinping is furthering an agenda that rejects the basic principles of human rights, too many political and business leaders in Europe seem eager to hand him a political victory. This is a mistake. To learn more about the threat Xi poses—and how the EU should respond—please see the link in bio.
