In recent years, national conservatives - or “NatCons” - have romanticized Hungary as a paragon of conservatism to emulate.
Hungary, undoubtedly, is a beautiful country with freedom-loving people who share many American and conservative values. But should Republicans, including the MAGA movement, replicate Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s agenda? Not so fast, says conservative commentator David Harsanyi, whose family hails from Hungary. He cautioned, “Orbanism" -- which I am no fan of -- has tons in common with American leftism. If Orban's goals were cultural leftist they'd love him.”
Alternatively, I propose my fellow American conservatives look more northerly to Lithuania— my ancestral homeland–for inspiration. Lithuania was the first of 15 occupied nations to break free of the Soviet Union. The evils of totalitarianism are still raw there, as I saw during a recent visit to the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights in Vilnius. Most of all, there are many similarities between us and Lithuanians.
Economically, Lithuania ranks higher than both the U.S. and Hungary for free enterprise. The most updated Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom lists the Baltic Republic as the 15th most economically free of 184 nations with a “mostly free” record. We’re No. 25 out of 184 countries.
Heritage described Lithuania’s economic standing in this manner: “Lithuania’s transition to a free-market economy is facilitated by the rule of law, structural reforms, and an increasingly vibrant private sector. Competitive taxation, a relatively efficient regulatory system, and policies that open Lithuania to global commerce and trade encourage more dynamic and broadly based economic expansion. The entrepreneurial framework is fairly streamlined and efficient.”
Hungary, in contrast, rounds out the list at the 72nd spot and is deemed “moderately free.” Starting a business in Lithuania can be done with relative ease. And students aged 15 to 17 read Economics in 31 Hours, a textbook from the Lithuanian Free Market Institute, to boost economic literacy and learn how “property rights, free exchange, profit, and competition shape decision-making in everyday life.”
Comparing Lithuania against Hungary on social-religious issues, Lithuania tends to align with American social conservatives better—sans the nanny statism found in the latter.
A 2018 Pew Research report on “Eastern and Western Europeans Differ on Importance of Religion, Views of Minorities, and Key Social Issues” found 56% of Lithuanians view religion as part of their national identity, compared to 46% of Hungarians who do. That same survey also found Lithuania was more socially conservative, by American standards, on marriage and abortion than Hungary was. For as much emphasis on increasing fertility rates, when assessing the total fertility rate between Lithuania and Hungary in 2023, for example, the former recorded a 1.63 fertility score versus latter’s 1.58 score.
In February, the Spectator spotlighted Hungary’s troubled “pro-family” agenda after President Katalin Novak was axed for pardoning a man who covered up child sexual abuse cases. The publication explained, “The baby incentives granted by the Fidesz government are expensive. In this year’s budget, the equivalent of £7.3 billion will be allocated to family support – approximately 5.14 per cent of the country’s 2023 GDP. Public services, including healthcare, are struggling in Hungary, and unemployment and other welfare payments have been gutted to pay for family support. Orban and his ministers preach a ‘work-fare’ state, which has increased the percentage of the adult population in employment from 56 per cent to 75 per cent, but at the cost of those sunk in the deepest poverty.”
Pro-family policies have succeeded when divorced from nanny statism. Tread carefully with copying the Hungarian case study.
With respect to defense and foreign affairs, Hungary is a default for NatCons. Lithuania, like Hungary, has similarly cracked down on illegal immigration—especially in wake of the EU-Belarus migrant crisis. Last year, the Seimas - Lithuania’s parliament - passed legislation to deny entry to some questionable asylum seekers. Mind you, Lithuania has generously welcomed Ukrainian and Belarusian refugees in wake of Putin’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and Belarus’ sham 2020 elections, respectively. Since 2021, Lithuania - like Poland - has enacted some semblance of migrant pushbacks in response to the aforementioned crises. Finland recently adopted similar measures.
When assessing which country better stands up to dictators, however, Lithuania easily trounces Hungary. Orbán’s cozy relationship with Putin is unsettling. Equally troubling is seeing pro-Orbán “China hawks” being silent about his embrace of Chinese President Xi Zingping and strengthening Hungary-China relations. Not to mention the Hungarian PM has warmed up to Iran - the largest state-sponsor of terrorism - as well.
AEI Senior Fellow Dalibor Rohac detailed Orban’s cozy relationship with Iran, writing, “Whatever the exact explanation, Hungary’s cozying up to Iran cannot be taken lightly by those who care about the survival and security of Israel, and about America’s role in the Middle East. Lest they be seen as aiding and abetting one the most depraved regimes on the planet, those on the right who have thus far indulged Viktor Orbán and his eccentricities should start asking him some hard questions.”
In contrast, tiny Lithuania is a bulwark against all three regimes and won’t shy away from European Union (EU) criticism. It doesn’t rely on Russian energy either - thanks, in part, to American “molecules of freedom” - and wants its EU compatriots to follow suit. It has boldly stood up for Taiwan and Israel, as well. And lest we forget Lithuania, a fellow NATO member, is never delinquent in paying their defense spending quotient.
There’s much to love about our Baltic ally and happiest country for people 30 and younger. Why? American conservatives and Lithuanians are inextricably linked over shared love of freedom, big government skepticism, firearms ownership, and reverence for timeless values.
It’s important to strengthen alliances with countries that like us and without radically abandoning our system as NatCons frequently suggest.
Let’s find more common ground with freedom-loving Lithuanians to better appreciate timeless conservative values here at home.