|
|||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
 |
Sonntagberg, Austria
I can still remember it very well. Just less than three years ago I spent a six months internship in the United States. It was at the time of the election campaigns. Regardless of which party; I was amazed at the personal commitment of the people. What a difference it was to my home country. It is not through apparati and associations but through the engagement of the individual that the United States receive their radiance and appeal. I was offered many examples for contemplation during this time; be it at the university, in the businesses or the Christian communities. Some time later I spent the last months of my studies in Berlin. Again, there were election campaigns. Germany was facing a decision of directions. The result was a patt. People were afraid of reforms. Instead of courageously daring more freedom, the Germans could not rid themselves of the snares of the welfare state. Lethargy covered the country. I read in the newspapers how some journalists suggested emigration to young people. Something is going wrong in my home country. Though the state with all its welfare has rid the people of their burdens, its prize is too high. Individual freedoms are increasingly curtailed. We have built powerful bureaucracies without naming their prize to – above all the young people. The offset pieces of the late socialism have citizens think only of exploitation when they hear „risk more freedom“. Yet, I only want to courageously and self-determinedly take my life in my own hands. In a small circle conversation turned to the Acton Institute. My curiosity was awakened to the spirit of free enterprise and Christian social teaching. I was invited to Austria to the "Toward a Free and Virtuous Society Conference" on Sonntagberg in September 2006. It was an extraordinary weekend. What had been denied to me during my studies, I was offered in a couple of days: A well-founded introduction to Christian anthroplogy, a clear synopsis of liberal civil and economic theoreticians and an analysis of the immense challenges to Europe. In the end two thoughts stood clearly before my eyes: my freedom is not arbitrary. It has virtue as its goal. I do not want to contend myself with less. And in addition: individual freedom is not only a matter of personal convictions. It is as well the pre-condition for a genuine free market economy as for the welfare of societies. I was not only inspired by the lectures. Especially the encounter with the other participants made clear, which challenges our generation faces. A Hungarian student told of unrests in Budapest, her dishonest government and her desire to do something for her country. A participant from Polan reported of the successful years of the transformation, the increasing scepticism towards Europe and a spreading latent nationalism. It is always important to facilitate the breakthrough of a free and virtuous society in the face of overpowering bureaucracies and out of hand political economies. I want to pledge myself to that. The Acton Institute's Toward a Free and Virtuous Society“ conferences are an extremely powerful and effective tool for this goal. In fact, the Acton conferences held in Austria together with townhall.at and Europa Institut are the only of their kind in Europe! Carsten Steigleder (Berlin, Germany), Participant TFAVS Conference, Austria 2006 QUESTIONS? |
|
|
|
||||
