A crusader for open society recalls the beginning of the end of communism in Central and Eastern Europe.
[Since the mid-1980s, Hungarian-born investor and philanthropist George Soros has pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into foundations in Central and Eastern Europe dedicated to promoting the idea of "open society," first challenging the region's Soviet-backed regimes and later supporting the transition to democratic institutions. Transitions Online began its life as an initiative of Soros' Open Society Institute, which continues to fund select TOL coverage and training projects.
In this commentary initially published on CNN.com, Soros describes how the work of his foundations contributed to the collapse of communism in the former Soviet Union and its satellites. TOL will be partnering with CNN this fall to share stories and reflections on the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Iron Curtain. - TOL]
I set up my first foundation in Hungary in 1984. The idea behind it was simple. The state dogma, promoted by the ruling communists, was false, and by providing an alternative we could expose its falsehood. Accordingly we supported every cultural initiative that was not an expression of the established dogma.
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