Martin Milan Šimečka

Liberal democracy is on the defensive and the number of authoritarian regimes is on the rise. Martin Milan Šimečka lives in Slovakia, where the extreme right is in power. There, many people are trying to preserve their freedom and dignity but at the same time they are frustrated by political developments and are worried about the future of society. It is basically an archetypal situation where a person is put to the test of courage and if they don't want to emigrate, they must find a way to live well in a bad regime with the hope that it won't last forever. But is it even possible to live a happy life in a bad regime? The author, with his personal experience of communism, is convinced that it is. Šimečka’s aim is not only to write a book about this experience but to try to generalize the basic principles that allow people in different countries to live as free and active citizens who give meaning to their lives. And such a life is usually a merry one.