MCC Budapest Lectures with John Burtka (Intercollegiate Studies Institute)

Meg Hansen (Senior Fellow, MCC/Danube Institute) moderates a deep dive into the anatomy of statesmanship with John Burtka – ISI President and author of a new book, Gateway to Statesmanship: Selections from Xenophon to Churchill (2024). The discussion addresses the following topics and much more. – What is the relationship between statesmanship and populism? – In the era of the Deep State and technocrats, how can a new generation of morally excellent and politically savvy statesmen arise? – How has Christianity (in its Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox forms) influenced Western ideals of political leadership? – How did European advice to kings and princes differ from non-Western sources? Do these differences continue to impact the political landscape today, especially in China and the Islamic world? – Which statesmen from history could serve as role models for succeeding in the uniquely challenging political landscape of the 21st century? Which examples from the past should we not follow today?