Political Populism and Anti-Science Politics: The Case of Hungary

The rise of populism and the emergence of anti-science politics seem to occur simultaneously raising questions about their possible connection. Most of the analysts agree that the populists’ disrespect for mind and dislike for science can be associated with the fact that science is evidence-based, objective and demands proof of statements, while populist politics is based on emotional, easily falsifiable annunciations. Climate change denial in the U.S., clientelism in the academy in Russia or the ban of the teaching of evolution in Turkey are well-known examples of this phenomenon. Viktor Orbán’s illiberal regime in Hungary is considered another prime example of the populist political practice. While many aspects of his use of power are thoroughly examined by scholars, Orbán’s anti-science politics is a less discussed topic, therefore this paper aims to provide new insights about this question. First, this paper will examine the characteristics of the anti-science debate from the historical and theoretical perspective reviewing the relevant scholarly literature. It will build on the definition put forward by Amend and Barney (2016) as the base of its methodology to conduct an empirical analysis of the case of Hungary focusing on four key areas: funding and personnel cuts in science spending, structural adjustments and reallocation of funds, information control and the promotion of pseudoscience. Then it will be discussed how the illiberal regime in Hungary uses the anti-science agenda to deepen societal divisions, highlighting the different tools and approaches it applies. The paper will reveal why and how the anti-science politics became inherent in Orbán’s populist toolkit. The case of Hungary may provide further insights to the study of populism, offer a methodological framework for future comparative analyses and help better understand the development of populism in other countries as well.