Following decades of relative unity, Europe is once again seeing an intensification of nationalism and illiberalism.
Like tectonic plates, perceptions shift without us realizing it. Only when the resulting tensions erupt do we notice the new reality. The soul of a country, however, reveals itself along far more expansive time scales. In Fault Lines, Jörg Colberg examines the origins and effects of such processes in Hungary, where the authoritarian transformation of state and society has been underway for more than a decade without regard for losses.

“Ever since Vaterland, my first photobook, I have been following the rise and spread of neofascism in Europe and beyond. Since my book was published, anti-democratic forces in Germany have more than doubled their vote share while democratic parties have adopted far-right talking points. It’s probably fair to say that the left as a political power has become irrelevant, and most democratic parties offer some variant of conservative policies. The social-democratic West Germany I was born into has now become a historical oddity, as the country’s dominant political class has morphed into a feckless, ruthlessly neoliberal clique.
It is only its history that differentiates Germany from the rest of Europe. Neoliberalism has swept across the continent, and it has brought about a sharp rise in neofascist parties everywhere. Prabhat Patnaik wrote a concise article about the relationship between neoliberalism and neofascism. He argues that there is a conflict between them that might rupture things eventually. But that’s hardly a consolation for all those who are swept up under neofascist, illiberal regimes.
In 2023, I had the opportunity to travel to Budapest again. Under Viktor Orbán rule, Hungary has been transformed into the closest equivalent of Vladimir Putin’s Russia in the European Union. Of course, I had to bring my camera to loosely continue the work I had done with Vaterland.”
- Jörg Colberg