As demonstrably failed and anachronistic as communist ideology is, it remains a powerful influence in the modern world, particularly in those societies on which it inflicted the most damage.

2017 marks the centenary year of the Bolshevist Revolution. Yet much of the evil done in the name of Marxist-Leninism has been forgotten. The Liberty Summit in Europe will look, not only at the wickedness of Communism itself, but at the way it vitiated civil society, making it difficult to rebuild social capital.

Today, more than a quarter of a century after the collapse of “existing socialism”, the true picture of its historic failure is beginning to fade. The purges, the mass killings, the forced relocations, the land collectivization and the famines are all too quickly being forgotten.

As a result, we are now witnessing a resurgence of communist and socialist ideologies, camouflaged under the guise of progressivism. On the eve of the 2016 US election, a survey found that one-third of American millennials believed more people to have been murdered by George W. Bush than by Joseph Stalin. Even amongst Russians, a recent survey revealed that almost 40% believe that Stalin’s regime was “more good than evil” – an increase from 18% in the early years following the collapse of the USSR.

Communism must be reckoned in crude mathematical terms as the most widely oppressive and murderous system ever devised by human intelligence.

But we cannot take the popular acceptance of this reckoning for granted.

Liberty must be won in every generation. Ronald Reagan once famously said:

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same”

In Europe, mainstream parties have neglected ideology in favor of political pragmatism, creating an intellectual and emotional void which is being hijacked by the populist left and extreme right in Spain, Italy, and Greece - to name only a few. Political pragmatism is not enough. The Centre-Right’s ideological vision needs to be continually articulated.

Conservatives understand that open societies rest upon the dignity and autonomy of the individual, who should be as free as possible from state coercion. The inaugural Liberty Summit in Europe will be the occasion for Conservatives to gather, recall and boldly pronounce this ideological foundation of our convictions.

2017 marks the centenary year of the Bolshevist Revolution. Yet much of the evil done in the name of Marxist-Leninism has been forgotten. The Liberty Summit in Europe will look, not only at the wickedness of Communism itself, but at the way it vitiated civil society, making it difficult to rebuild social capital after the formal end of the dictatorship.

No location could be more fitting for this conference than Albania.

The 47-year communist dictatorship of Enver Hoxha marked the darkest period in Albania’s history. Human rights and fundamental freedoms were suspended, political parties were outlawed and opposition executed, land and properties seized, religious freedom crushed, social and cultural institutions destroyed. Today, like many other post-communist countries, it remains a hotbed of crony capitalism, corruption, trafficking, and poverty.

Therefore Albania, like so many post-communist and post-authoritarian societies, is ripe for the advance of free-market ideas: for the replacement of aid, grants and corruption with democracy, the rule of law and capitalism.

Its for these reasons we have chosen Tirana to host the inaugural Liberty Summit in Europe, our message is applicable to all countries that suffered behind the Iron Curtain, and to all who face the threat of communism’s encroachment. 

The Summit will advance the discussion on how to build societies that are democratic, pluralist and committed to the ideas of: Individual liberty, National sovereignty, Private enterprise, Representative government, Rule of law, Property rights, Low taxes, Political pluralism, Sound money, Free trade, Organic society, Religious freedom, Open competition.

In addition, the Summit will strengthen the conservative movement, particularly in Central & Eastern Europe and the Balkans, by bringing together more than 200 Political participants including party leaders, ministers and representatives from more than 30 countries and political parties.

Friday, 7 April 2017

Saturday, 8 April 2017