Hungary in State of Exception seeks to analyze the transboundary exchange of political and economic ideas through the global neoliberal hegemonic struggle. Neoliberalism, as a economic and political ideology, defined the history of Hungary not just in the 21st century, but in the troubled 20th century. Eastern Europe played a crucial role in neoliberalism's rise to control globalized capitalism, and Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) have constantly an incubator of and experimental laboratory for new types of neoliberal capitalism. Antal arguesthat neoliberalism, like populism, is historically embedded in Hungarian political history, its the political form is economic and governmental exceptionalism. This book reveals the common history of Western- and Eastern-style neoliberalism from the Austro-Hungarian Empire to the contemporary COVID-19 crisis. Without emphasis on the century of neoliberalization of CEE, the contemporary rise of regional authoritarianism cannot be understood. Antal also details the relationship between Orban's rise and contemporary neoliberal politics in CEE.

Under the tenure of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the political system in Hungary has moved significantly in an autocratic direction, yet there is a lack of research explaining the historical context, political landscape and drive behind this shift.This book offers a deep historical and theoretical investigation into how this authoritarian, populist regime has evolved. Backlash from globalization in the 21st century, dissatisfaction with the European Union and international fiscal institutions have created a situation in which Orban's regime is able to thrive. New kinds of autocracy cannot be properly understood without a thorough analysis of Eastern Europe's development in the 20th century and the neoliberal agenda before and after the regime changes. There is a major oversight in the contemporary literature regarding the historical and theoretical origins of right-wing authoritarian populism in Hungary. This book explores the main factors behind the Orban regime including the country's authoritarian populist past, the charismatic charm of populist leaders, and cooperation between neoliberal and state autocracy. By providing a thoroughly researched historical narrative and offering an alternative critique of right-wing populism, this text will prove invaluable for researchers seeking to understand Eastern European history and politics, as well as populism, authoritarianism and neoliberalism more broadly.