csmonitor--2020-04-09--From democracy to authoritarianism: Hungary under Orbán (audio)

There are few European heads of state who challenge the ideals on which the continent ’ s modern , liberal order was built more than Viktor Orbán .
It wasn ’ t always the case .
When Mr. Orbán emerged as a national politician in Hungary as the Soviet order fell at the Cold War ’ s end , he was viewed as a democrat and free thinker .
But since 2010 , when his Fidesz party took power and he became prime minister , he has taken an outspokenly anti-democratic approach to governance .
Mr. Orbán was the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” when describing his vision for Hungary , while squashing opponents and concentrating more powers in his hands .
But this didn ’ t happen overnight .
Hollowing out a democracy takes time and effort , and requires attacking multiple institutions .
The Monitor sent Dominique Soguel to talk to some of those who witnessed the effects of Mr. Orbán ’ s campaign against Hungary ’ s academia , nongovernmental organizations , and media to see how they were affected – and , if they could , how they fought back .
Note @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be heard .
We strongly encourage you to experience it with your ears , but we understand that is not an option for everybody .
You can find the audio player above .
For those who are unable to listen , we have provided a transcript of the story below .
DOMINIQUE SOGUEL : Strongmen have gained momentum across the globe even in what were once thought to be established democracies .
From Brazil to India , populist leaders have dismantled checks and balances .
They muzzle the press in the name of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ majorities .
In Europe , one of the most salient examples is Hungary .
Right-wing leader Viktor Orbán has helped spread populist ideas across the continent .
Even now , the prime minister is capitalizing on the coronavirus pandemic to take on sweeping new powers .
My name is Dominique Soguel , and for the past six years , I ’ ve covered Europe and the Middle East for the Monitor .
Last year I went to the Hungarian capital , Budapest , to talk to local journalists , activists , and scholars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regime .
I wanted to know : What does it look like when a leader takes a nation from the height of democratic freedom to the brink of authoritarian rule ?
The year was 1989 .
After decades of communist rule , the Central European nation of Hungary was finally steering toward a democratic system of government .
JANOS RAINER : I think Hungary had all the possibilities to turn into a good , free , and democratic way 30 years ago .
DOMINIQUE : That ’ s Janos Rainer .
He ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 32 years old in 1989 .
He told me that back then , he truly felt it was a new beginning for his country .
And for a long while , it was .
In 1990 , Freedom House – an international watchdog organization that ranks nations according to their commitment to democracy – marked Hungary as “ free ” for the first time .
Seven years later it became part of NATO .
And in 2003 , the country became part of the European Union .
It seemed that at last , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liberal democracies .
But all that changed in 2010 .
The right-wing Fidesz Party came to power under the leadership of Prime Minister Orbán .
Orbán is a poster child of populism .
Under his rule , independent media has been muzzled .
Power concentrated in the hands of a few .
Elections are still technically free .
But with the government controlling much of what the public hears , few outside of Hungary believe they are actually fair .
And like many strongmen leaders of the 21st century , Orbán appeals to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christian legacy is quickly vanishing .
[ Sound clip from Orbán ’ s State of the Nation address ] Today , Hungary is what experts call an “ illiberal democracy ” – a democracy in which civil liberties are disdained .
DOMINIQUE : Like most populist leaders , Orbán has a long list of enemies .
Migrants – particularly dark-skinned and Muslim ones – pose an existential threat .
Not just to Hungary , but to all of Europe .
Here he is at a press conference from early 2019 .
[ Sound @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Orbán is speaking in Hungarian ] He ’ s saying that instead of a unified civilization , Europe will be divided into two .
A mixed one which allows for Christian and Islamic coexistence … and a Europe premised on a shared Christian identity .
Orbán has been clear about which one he believes in .
But the top enemy of the state under the Orbán administration is a Hungarian-American Jewish philanthropist .
The two men weren ’ t always in conflict .
In 1989 , Orbán went to study in Oxford thanks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Foundation .
But the two eventually fell out over their competing visions for Hungary .
Now organizations with ties to Soros , and working on migration issues , have been the hardest hit in a broadening crackdown on civil society .
I met with Dalma Dojcsak , a lawyer with the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union , which gets funding from Open Society .
DALMA DOJCSAK : So I think it started in 2015 and there was this narrative in the Hungarian discourse about civil society who speaks up against the government and who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government is somehow undermining Hungary , the Hungarian nation , and security .
DOMINIQUE : By 2017 , Soros – and any organization connected to him – had become an explicit target .
DOJCSAK : There was this Civil Society Act in , I think 2017 , when basically the narrative was that the refugee and migrant wave is financed by George Soros and also the Hungarian NGOs that are financed by George Soros .
Therefore , Hungarian NGOs has to be punished by labeling them foreign-funded NGOs , which in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ word .
And later on , a new piece of legislation extended the issue and ordered that those NGOs or organizations who support illegal migration in any way has to declare 25 % of their incomes as a migration tax .
This is the so-called Stop Soros Law or Act .
DOMINIQUE : Dojcsak said that as far as she knows , no organization has been penalized under this law , yet .
For now , she takes refuge in HCLU .
DOJCSAK : Working here helps a lot because I come here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something every day to fight back .
DOMINIQUE : NGOs like the HCLU aren ’ t the only target .
RAINER : Academia in general is one of the latest targets of Orbán .
DOMINIQUE : That ’ s Janos Rainer again , the scholar you heard at the top of the show .
Rainer is director of the 56 Institute , a historical research center named after the 1956 Hungarian revolution .
Rainer told me that without consultation , government officials brought his organization under the umbrella of the Veritas Historical Research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ historians whose views align with those of the regime .
They did it through a new law that authorized the restructuring of academic groups like his .
RAINER : What is the situation now ?
The academia is under the control of a state-run centralized organization and in command there is a minister , very powerful , and very close to Orbán personally , it is said .
And the whole academia is under his command .
DOMINIQUE : Another sector that has struggled under Orbán and the Fidesz Party : the press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the media that don ’ t support the administration .
TAMAS BODOKY : After Fidesz came to power , they ceased to subsidize any left-leaning liberal media .
And they only subsidize right-wing media which is 100 % loyal to them .
DOMINIQUE : That ’ s Tamas Bodoky , the founder and editor of Atlatszo , a center for investigative journalism .
In one incident last year , Atlatszo ran a series of exposés .
They included photos of Orbán ’ s secret private plane and a powerful government official ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re hearing is from a video Atlatszo published of the yacht using drone footage .
The video shows a huge , pristine white pleasure craft , gliding through deep blue waters off the coast of Croatia .
There ’ s a pool on its deck .
Lounge chairs .
Three men – whom Atlatszo identified as key figures in Hungarian industry and politics – are clearly visible .
According to Bodoky , the government retaliated quickly .
A photo plucked from his Facebook page was broadcast on TV2 , a state-run network .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oh , these Soros guys are conspiring against Hungary .
They are using unmanned airplanes to surveil Hungarian politicians , ” because we had the drone footage on the yacht .
So they did try to frame you , and try to frame you in a very bad way .
So after this , a lot of people ask me , “ Oh , how come you are not in jail ?
How come you are , you are conspiring against Hungary .
You should be in jail.
” DOMINIQUE : These days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to become mouthpieces for the state have fewer places to work .
The country ’ s largest left-leaning daily paper closed in 2016 , laying off hundreds of staff members .
And those still around , like Atlatszo , are struggling to reach their audiences .
The government controls so many of the ways that Hungarians receive news .
BODOKY : I think it ’ s important to emphasize that this is not journalism .
This is the most typical pro-government propaganda .
This is quite shameful that the government did this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some activists are pushing back against the government in unusual ways .
Marton Gulyas is a filmmaker and producer who lives in Budapest .
He disagrees deeply with the Orbán regime ’ s hard-line approach to migration – among other issues .
So he uses humor and the internet to get his message out .
MARTON GULYAS : I became politically very active after 2010 when the first two-thirds majority happened , because that was such a shock for the country .
We create different kind of events .
There are popular shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in front of a live audience and we broadcast it through Facebook and YouTube .
DOMINIQUE : Orbán was reelected for a third-term in 2018 riding a wave of nationalist sentiment .
Ahead of the vote , billboards went up calling on Hungarians to defend their country , defend their culture .
GULYAS : And , you know , ridiculous , semi-Nazi slogans and stuff like that .
DOMINIQUE : In response , Gulyas made a short film .
In it , he criticized the government ’ s position on migration using characters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ played the role of Darth Vader , who lost , you know , his role , his position in the empire , but he sensed that the Dark Side is extremely strong here in Hungary because of Orbán and because of this hatred against refugees .
DOMINIQUE : So Vader comes to Hungary , hoping to serve this new emperor .
GULYAS : But the problem is that he ’ s a refugee , too .
And he went through the entire process of you know becoming a citizen .
And he tries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the Emperor .
And he failed in every way .
Some of the scenes were scripted .
Some of the scenes were improvised .
This entire video was about the absurdity of these anti-refugee , anti-migrant , xenophobic , government propaganda .
DOMINIQUE : For some of his stunts , Gulyas has been punished with fines and community service , which are not nearly as dire as the consequences of challenging the government in , say , Turkey .
Or Russia .
But Orbán isn ’ t done yet .
In March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dominated by his party , gave the prime minister the right to rule by decree for an unlimited period .
That means new laws do not require parliamentary consultation .
Everything suggests that Hungary ’ s slide from democracy to authoritarianism is accelerating .
But Gulyas , Badoky , and Dojcsak haven ’ t quite given up hope .
Here ’ s Dojcsak again .
DOJCSAK : I am alarmed that we will become Russia in a few years time .
And it ’ s quite possible .
And I don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the other way .
But if you look at the Ukraine , for example , an unexpected thing can happen in a very short period of time .
So I still have hope that political change can come .
I just don ’ t know how and when .
But it can come .
DOMINIQUE : Thank you for joining us .
If you liked this story , help us make more .
Subscribe to The Christian Science Monitor at csmonitor.com/subscribe .
We need your support to do more work like this .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , reporting from Budapest .
This story was edited and produced by Arthur Bright , Samantha Laine Perfas , and Jessica Mendoza , with sound design by Noel Flatt .
Copyright by The Christian Science Monitor , 2020 .

From democracy to authoritarianism: Orbán's Hungary Loading the player...
There are few European heads of state who challenge the ideals on which the continent’s modern, liberal order was built more than Viktor Orbán.
It wasn’t always the case. When Mr. Orbán emerged as a national politician in Hungary as the Soviet order fell at the Cold War’s end, he was viewed as a democrat and free thinker. But since 2010, when his Fidesz party took power and he became prime minister, he has taken an outspokenly anti-democratic approach to governance. Mr. Orbán was the first to coin the phrase “illiberal democracy” when describing his vision for Hungary, while squashing opponents and concentrating more powers in his hands.
But this didn’t happen overnight. Hollowing out a democracy takes time and effort, and requires attacking multiple institutions. The Monitor sent Dominique Soguel to talk to some of those who witnessed the effects of Mr. Orbán’s campaign against Hungary’s academia, nongovernmental organizations, and media to see how they were affected – and, if they could, how they fought back.
Note: This audio story was designed to be heard. We strongly encourage you to experience it with your ears, but we understand that is not an option for everybody. You can find the audio player above. For those who are unable to listen, we have provided a transcript of the story below.
AUDIO TRANSCRIPT
DOMINIQUE SOGUEL: Strongmen have gained momentum across the globe even in what were once thought to be established democracies.
From Brazil to India, populist leaders have dismantled checks and balances. They muzzle the press in the name of giving voice to what they call silent majorities. In Europe, one of the most salient examples is Hungary. Right-wing leader Viktor Orbán has helped spread populist ideas across the continent. Even now, the prime minister is capitalizing on the coronavirus pandemic to take on sweeping new powers.
My name is Dominique Soguel, and for the past six years, I’ve covered Europe and the Middle East for the Monitor. Last year I went to the Hungarian capital, Budapest, to talk to local journalists, activists, and scholars who are pushing back against the Orbán regime. I wanted to know: What does it look like when a leader takes a nation from the height of democratic freedom to the brink of authoritarian rule?
Let’s start from the beginning.
[Rewind effect]
The year was 1989. After decades of communist rule, the Central European nation of Hungary was finally steering toward a democratic system of government.
[Sound clip from Hungarian National Anthem]
JANOS RAINER: I think Hungary had all the possibilities to turn into a good, free, and democratic way 30 years ago.
DOMINIQUE: That’s Janos Rainer. He’s a Hungarian scholar. He was 32 years old in 1989. He told me that back then, he truly felt it was a new beginning for his country. And for a long while, it was.
In 1990, Freedom House – an international watchdog organization that ranks nations according to their commitment to democracy – marked Hungary as “free” for the first time. Seven years later it became part of NATO. And in 2003, the country became part of the European Union.
It seemed that at last, Hungary had secured its place among Western liberal democracies.
[Sound clip of celebrations as Hungary joins E.U.]
But all that changed in 2010. The right-wing Fidesz Party came to power under the leadership of Prime Minister Orbán.
[Sound clips from news reports about Orbán’s regime]
Orbán is a poster child of populism. Under his rule, independent media has been muzzled. Power concentrated in the hands of a few. Elections are still technically free. But with the government controlling much of what the public hears, few outside of Hungary believe they are actually fair.
And like many strongmen leaders of the 21st century, Orbán appeals to a population afraid that their white, Christian legacy is quickly vanishing.
[Sound clip from Orbán’s State of the Nation address]
Today, Hungary is what experts call an “illiberal democracy” – a democracy in which civil liberties are disdained.
[Music]
DOMINIQUE: Like most populist leaders, Orbán has a long list of enemies.
Migrants – particularly dark-skinned and Muslim ones – pose an existential threat. Not just to Hungary, but to all of Europe. Here he is at a press conference from early 2019.
[Sound clip from a 2019 press conference, Orbán is speaking in Hungarian]
He’s saying that instead of a unified civilization, Europe will be divided into two. A mixed one which allows for Christian and Islamic coexistence … and a Europe premised on a shared Christian identity.
Orbán has been clear about which one he believes in.
[Music]
But the top enemy of the state under the Orbán administration is a Hungarian-American Jewish philanthropist.
[Sound clips of news outlets saying “George Soros” repeatedly]
The two men weren’t always in conflict. In 1989, Orbán went to study in Oxford thanks to financing from Soros’ Open Society Foundation. But the two eventually fell out over their competing visions for Hungary.
Now organizations with ties to Soros, and working on migration issues, have been the hardest hit in a broadening crackdown on civil society.
I met with Dalma Dojcsak, a lawyer with the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, which gets funding from Open Society.
DALMA DOJCSAK: So I think it started in 2015 and there was this narrative in the Hungarian discourse about civil society who speaks up against the government and who intends to act as a check on the government is somehow undermining Hungary, the Hungarian nation, and security.
DOMINIQUE: By 2017, Soros – and any organization connected to him – had become an explicit target.
DOJCSAK: There was this Civil Society Act in, I think 2017, when basically the narrative was that the refugee and migrant wave is financed by George Soros and also the Hungarian NGOs that are financed by George Soros. Therefore, Hungarian NGOs has to be punished by labeling them foreign-funded NGOs, which in the government narrative was used as a swear word. And later on, a new piece of legislation extended the issue and ordered that those NGOs or organizations who support illegal migration in any way has to declare 25% of their incomes as a migration tax. This is the so-called Stop Soros Law or Act.
DOMINIQUE: Dojcsak said that as far as she knows, no organization has been penalized under this law, yet.
For now, she takes refuge in HCLU.
DOJCSAK: Working here helps a lot because I come here and I do everything, I do something every day to fight back.
[Music]
DOMINIQUE: NGOs like the HCLU aren’t the only target.
RAINER: Academia in general is one of the latest targets of Orbán.
DOMINIQUE: That’s Janos Rainer again, the scholar you heard at the top of the show.
Rainer is director of the 56 Institute, a historical research center named after the 1956 Hungarian revolution. Rainer told me that without consultation, government officials brought his organization under the umbrella of the Veritas Historical Research Institute, an academic body filled with historians whose views align with those of the regime. They did it through a new law that authorized the restructuring of academic groups like his.
RAINER: What is the situation now? The academia is under the control of a state-run centralized organization and in command there is a minister, very powerful, and very close to Orbán personally, it is said. And the whole academia is under his command.
DOMINIQUE: Another sector that has struggled under Orbán and the Fidesz Party: the press. Or at least, members of the media that don’t support the administration.
TAMAS BODOKY: After Fidesz came to power, they ceased to subsidize any left-leaning liberal media. And they only subsidize right-wing media which is 100% loyal to them.
DOMINIQUE: That’s Tamas Bodoky, the founder and editor of Atlatszo, a center for investigative journalism.
In one incident last year, Atlatszo ran a series of exposés. They included photos of Orbán’s secret private plane and a powerful government official’s luxury yacht.
[Music from Atlatszo’s video]
The music you’re hearing is from a video Atlatszo published of the yacht using drone footage. The video shows a huge, pristine white pleasure craft, gliding through deep blue waters off the coast of Croatia. There’s a pool on its deck. Lounge chairs. Three men – whom Atlatszo identified as key figures in Hungarian industry and politics – are clearly visible.
According to Bodoky, the government retaliated quickly. A photo plucked from his Facebook page was broadcast on TV2, a state-run network.
BODOKY: And they said, “Oh, these Soros guys are conspiring against Hungary. They are using unmanned airplanes to surveil Hungarian politicians,” because we had the drone footage on the yacht. So they did try to frame you, and try to frame you in a very bad way. So after this, a lot of people ask me, “Oh, how come you are not in jail? How come you are, you are conspiring against Hungary. You should be in jail.”
DOMINIQUE: These days, Hungarian journalists who don’t want to become mouthpieces for the state have fewer places to work. The country’s largest left-leaning daily paper closed in 2016, laying off hundreds of staff members. And those still around, like Atlatszo, are struggling to reach their audiences. The government controls so many of the ways that Hungarians receive news.
BODOKY: I think it’s important to emphasize that this is not journalism. This is the most typical pro-government propaganda. This is quite shameful that the government did this to the Hungarian press.
[Music]
DOMINIQUE: Some activists are pushing back against the government in unusual ways.
Marton Gulyas is a filmmaker and producer who lives in Budapest. He disagrees deeply with the Orbán regime’s hard-line approach to migration – among other issues. So he uses humor and the internet to get his message out.
MARTON GULYAS: I became politically very active after 2010 when the first two-thirds majority happened, because that was such a shock for the country. We create different kind of events. There are popular shows which are dealing with top political issues in front of a live audience and we broadcast it through Facebook and YouTube.
DOMINIQUE: Orbán was reelected for a third-term in 2018 riding a wave of nationalist sentiment. Ahead of the vote, billboards went up calling on Hungarians to defend their country, defend their culture.
GULYAS: And, you know, ridiculous, semi-Nazi slogans and stuff like that.
DOMINIQUE: In response, Gulyas made a short film. In it, he criticized the government’s position on migration using characters from Star Wars.
[Sound clip from Star Wars]
GULYAS: I played the role of Darth Vader, who lost, you know, his role, his position in the empire, but he sensed that the Dark Side is extremely strong here in Hungary because of Orbán and because of this hatred against refugees.
DOMINIQUE: So Vader comes to Hungary, hoping to serve this new emperor.
GULYAS: But the problem is that he’s a refugee, too. And he went through the entire process of you know becoming a citizen. And he tries to, you know, meet personally with the Emperor. And he failed in every way.
Some of the scenes were scripted. Some of the scenes were improvised. This entire video was about the absurdity of these anti-refugee, anti-migrant, xenophobic, government propaganda.
DOMINIQUE: For some of his stunts, Gulyas has been punished with fines and community service, which are not nearly as dire as the consequences of challenging the government in, say, Turkey. Or Russia.
But Orbán isn’t done yet. In March, the Hungarian parliament, which is dominated by his party, gave the prime minister the right to rule by decree for an unlimited period. That means new laws do not require parliamentary consultation.
Everything suggests that Hungary’s slide from democracy to authoritarianism is accelerating. But Gulyas, Badoky, and Dojcsak haven’t quite given up hope. Here’s Dojcsak again.
DOJCSAK: I am alarmed that we will become Russia in a few years time. And it’s quite possible. And I don’t really see how it can be turned the other way. But if you look at the Ukraine, for example, an unexpected thing can happen in a very short period of time. So I still have hope that political change can come. I just don’t know how and when. But it can come.
[Music]
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
DOMINIQUE: Thank you for joining us. If you liked this story, help us make more. Subscribe to The Christian Science Monitor at csmonitor.com/subscribe. We need your support to do more work like this.
Again, my name is Dominique Soguel, reporting from Budapest. This story was edited and produced by Arthur Bright, Samantha Laine Perfas, and Jessica Mendoza, with sound design by Noel Flatt. Copyright by The Christian Science Monitor, 2020.


csmonitor--2020-04-29--Home theater: See the world through the eyes of director Satyajit Ray

Of the films of the great Indian director Satyajit Ray , the Japanese master Akira Kurosawa once said that not having seen them “ is like never having seen the sun or the moon.
” I completely agree .
For me , Ray is perhaps the finest of all film artists .
The humanism of his vision , and the lyricism he brings to it , is overwhelming .
No other director has so consistently expressed what it means to be alive .
No other filmmaker , male or female , has explored with such profound grace and understanding the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the honor in the fall of 2008 to be invited to Kolkata , India , to lecture to local students and film societies about his work .
As a white Westerner , I was wary of coming across like some sort of postcolonial know-it-all .
I needn ’ t have worried .
Our shared love for Ray dissolved any barriers .
I was accompanied by a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences who was instrumental in the ongoing restoration of Ray ’ s films , many of which were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ray was awarded an honorary Oscar in 1992 , shortly before his death . )
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
The trip was one of the most enthralling and mysterious experiences in my career .
Ray lived and worked in Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta , where he was revered .
Inhabiting his world , however partially , connected me to his way of seeing .
I saw in the faces of the people – the abjectly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the office workers – the imprint of his artistry .
Whenever I look at a movie by Ray now , I am transported back to that time .
Ray ’ s movies would be supremely transporting even if one had never set foot inside India .
His films may have ethnographic value but that ’ s not remotely what makes them so great .
They are great because they reveal us to ourselves .
They are great because they express with full transcendence the sacredness of our humanity .
Trying to whittle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a couple of movies is like picking out a couple of plays by Shakespeare .
I ’ ve seen most of Ray ’ s 29 feature films , and I ’ m not being sentimental or starry-eyed when I say that he has the highest batting average of any major film director .
The vast majority of his output is extraordinary but I will highlight here his most famous contribution , The Apu Trilogy .
I consider it the finest linked series of films ever made .
( Ravi Shankar composed the beautiful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own but for maximum effect must be seen in order .
Never having directed a movie before , Ray began his career in 1955 with “ Pather Panchali ( Song of the Little Road ) ” ( unrated ) , derived from a classic novel about rural Bengali life and its impoverishments .
The focus is on little Apu and his family , and it conveys like no other movie the sense of liberation one gets from breaking free , however momentarily , from the restraints of such a world .
A sequence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ race across the fields to glimpse a distant train – a symbol of a faraway realm – takes you to the limits of feeling .
Ray originally had no intention of extending Apu ’ s story , but in 1956 he released “ Aparajito ( The Unvanquished ) ” ( unrated ) , the second installment .
In this narrative , Apu first moves to Benares with his parents and then , when tragedy hits , moves to the countryside and then to Calcutta , where he has won an academic scholarship .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ him away from his roots .
His mother pines for him .
We last see her , ailing , hoping for his return , as she steps outside her home into a swarm of fireflies lighting up the night .
The third film , “ Apur Sansar ( The World of Apu ) ” ( unrated ; 1959 ) brings us the adult Apu , played by Soumitra Chatterjee , and his newfound bride Aparna , played by Sharmila Tagore , as they discover who they are and what they mean to each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delicate and intuitive portrait of a marriage I ’ ve ever seen .
The two first-time actors went on to star , often together , in some of Ray ’ s best movies .
At the risk of being listy , I can ’ t help but end by citing a few other Ray masterpieces for your delectation : “ Devi ( The Goddess ) ” ( 1960 ) , “ Teen Kanya ( Two Daughters ) ” ( 1961 ) , “ Ghare-Baire ( The Home and the World ) ” ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Days and Nights in the Forest ) ” ( 1970 ) , “ Mahanagar ( The Big City ) ” ( 1963 ) , and “ Charulata ( The Lonely Wife ) ” ( 1964 ) .
As Kurosawa said , they are the sun and the moon .
The films in The Apu Trilogy , which all include English subtitles , are available to rent on Amazon ’ s Prime Video , YouTube , Google Play , and iTunes .

Of the films of the great Indian director Satyajit Ray, the Japanese master Akira Kurosawa once said that not having seen them “is like never having seen the sun or the moon.” I completely agree. For me, Ray is perhaps the finest of all film artists. The humanism of his vision, and the lyricism he brings to it, is overwhelming. No other director has so consistently expressed what it means to be alive. No other filmmaker, male or female, has explored with such profound grace and understanding the inner lives of women.
I had the honor in the fall of 2008 to be invited to Kolkata, India, to lecture to local students and film societies about his work. As a white Westerner, I was wary of coming across like some sort of postcolonial know-it-all. I needn’t have worried. Our shared love for Ray dissolved any barriers. I was accompanied by a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences who was instrumental in the ongoing restoration of Ray’s films, many of which were in a state of disrepair. (Ray was awarded an honorary Oscar in 1992, shortly before his death.)
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
Why We Wrote This When looking for films to transport you during lockdown, start with those by Indian auteur Satyajit Ray. “No other director has so consistently expressed what it means to be alive,” says film critic Peter Rainer. “No other filmmaker, male or female, has explored with such profound grace and understanding the inner lives of women.”
The trip was one of the most enthralling and mysterious experiences in my career. Ray lived and worked in Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta, where he was revered. Inhabiting his world, however partially, connected me to his way of seeing. I saw in the faces of the people – the abjectly poor, the well-to-do, the merchants, the office workers – the imprint of his artistry. Whenever I look at a movie by Ray now, I am transported back to that time.
Ray’s movies would be supremely transporting even if one had never set foot inside India. His films may have ethnographic value but that’s not remotely what makes them so great. They are great because they reveal us to ourselves. They are great because they express with full transcendence the sacredness of our humanity.
Trying to whittle down the director’s oeuvre to a couple of movies is like picking out a couple of plays by Shakespeare. I’ve seen most of Ray’s 29 feature films, and I’m not being sentimental or starry-eyed when I say that he has the highest batting average of any major film director. The vast majority of his output is extraordinary but I will highlight here his most famous contribution, The Apu Trilogy. I consider it the finest linked series of films ever made. (Ravi Shankar composed the beautiful music.) They stand on their own but for maximum effect must be seen in order.
Never having directed a movie before, Ray began his career in 1955 with “Pather Panchali (Song of the Little Road)” (unrated), derived from a classic novel about rural Bengali life and its impoverishments. The focus is on little Apu and his family, and it conveys like no other movie the sense of liberation one gets from breaking free, however momentarily, from the restraints of such a world. A sequence where Apu and his older sister Durga race across the fields to glimpse a distant train – a symbol of a faraway realm – takes you to the limits of feeling.
Jim Pringle/AP/File View caption Hide caption Indian director Satyajit Ray holds the Golden Lion, the top award of the annual Venice International Film Festival, for the film “Aparajito (The Unvanquished),” on Sept. 8, 1957. It was the first time an Indian motion picture won the coveted award.
Ray originally had no intention of extending Apu’s story, but in 1956 he released “Aparajito (The Unvanquished)” (unrated), the second installment. In this narrative, Apu first moves to Benares with his parents and then, when tragedy hits, moves to the countryside and then to Calcutta, where he has won an academic scholarship. The heady world of the city turns him away from his roots. His mother pines for him. We last see her, ailing, hoping for his return, as she steps outside her home into a swarm of fireflies lighting up the night.
The third film, “Apur Sansar (The World of Apu)” (unrated; 1959) brings us the adult Apu, played by Soumitra Chatterjee, and his newfound bride Aparna, played by Sharmila Tagore, as they discover who they are and what they mean to each other. It’s the most delicate and intuitive portrait of a marriage I’ve ever seen. The two first-time actors went on to star, often together, in some of Ray’s best movies.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
At the risk of being listy, I can’t help but end by citing a few other Ray masterpieces for your delectation: “Devi (The Goddess)” (1960), “Teen Kanya (Two Daughters)” (1961), “Ghare-Baire (The Home and the World)” (1984), “Aranyer Din Ratri (Days and Nights in the Forest)” (1970), “Mahanagar (The Big City)” (1963), and “Charulata (The Lonely Wife)” (1964). As Kurosawa said, they are the sun and the moon.
The films in The Apu Trilogy, which all include English subtitles, are available to rent on Amazon’s Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play, and iTunes.


csmonitor--2020-04-02--Home theater: For diverting films while housebound, try Hitchcock

I have often been asked what movies I would choose to watch if I were stranded on a desert island .
Lately the inquiries have been more about what classics to check out while housebound .
In both cases , Alfred Hitchcock ’ s films top my list .
Has any other director made a greater number of peerlessly entertaining movies ?
Before he even came to Hollywood to make “ Rebecca , ” he had already racked up a formidable body of work in England , not only the famous thrillers “ The 39 Steps ” and “ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gems as “ Secret Agent , ” “ Sabotage , ” and “ Young and Innocent.
” Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
It is Hitchcock ’ s Hollywood movies that shine brightest for me , and none more so than 1959 ’ s “ North by Northwest.
” It ’ s the ultimate escapist entertainment because it has , incomparably , everything : thrills , spills , romance , wit .
Its crazy-quilt mistaken-identity plot , courtesy of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scene after another .
And of course – I almost forgot – it has Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint .
In top form .
One year before , Hitchcock made “ Vertigo , ” the brooding masterpiece starring James Stewart and Kim Novak that is also his most personally felt film .
For his next movie , as recounted in the must-read 1967 book “ Hitchcock/Truffaut , ” Hitchcock said he wanted to do something fun and lighthearted .
Grant plays suave Madison Avenue ad exec Roger Thornhill , who is mistaken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country by both government agents and nefarious villains ( headed by James Mason and Martin Landau at their silkiest ) .
Two iconic sequences stand out : Grant , on the run in a flat , open field in Indiana , being attacked by a crop duster ; and the grand finale , with Grant and Saint clambering up Mount Rushmore .
( Reportedly Hitchcock entertained the idea of calling the film “ The Man in Lincoln ’ s Nose.
” ) The plot has so many circumlocutions that , on a first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may not entirely add up .
But – and here ’ s the crucial point – it doesn ’ t really matter .
Much of the movie ’ s wit is bound up in its serial escapades .
There ’ s always something irresistible going on .
Hitchcock and Lehman are playing with us .
They understand how avidly we crave all this high-flying escapism , and they know just how to deliver it .
I ’ ve been friendly acquaintances for many years with Saint and can ’ t resist one anecdote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was like to work with Hitchcock , and she said he only gave her one real piece of direction : “ When you ’ re acting opposite Cary , always remember to look into his eyes.
” Not , I would venture to guess , a difficult assignment .
( Unrated ) Aside from “ North by Northwest ” and Stanley Donen ’ s “ Charade ” – the greatest Hitchcock movie ever made that Hitchcock didn ’ t make – the film in which Cary Grant is at his most Cary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To Catch a Thief.
” He plays a retired jewel thief in the French Riviera whose comfortable life growing grapes and flowers is interrupted by a string of copycat robberies .
He must clear his name .
Along for the jaunt is Grace Kelly ( it was during filming that she met her future husband , Prince Rainier III of Monaco ) as the daughter of a rich vacationing widow .
( Funny footnote : The widow is played by Jessie Royce Landis , who plays Grant ’ s mother in “ North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was only seven years older than him . )
The movie is a glorious trifle , and all that sun-drenched Riviera scenery is good for the soul .
( Rated PG ) If you ’ re up for a somewhat darker Hitchcock movie – relax , we ’ re not talking “ Psycho ” or “ The Birds ” here – 1954 ’ s “ Rear Window ” is just the ticket right now for our shut-in lives .
James Stewart plays a news photographer laid up with his leg in a cast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bides his time peering into the windows of his neighbors across the courtyard and gradually comes to believe that one of them has committed a murder .
His gold-plated , marriage-minded girlfriend and reluctant accomplice , played by Grace Kelly , does things like ordering him dinner and champagne from “ 21.
” This probably beats the grocery delivery service you ’ ve been using .
It ’ s the ultimate movie about voyeurism featuring cinema ’ s most famous peeping Tom .
( Rated PG ) These films are available to rent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ YouTube , Google Play , and iTunes .

I have often been asked what movies I would choose to watch if I were stranded on a desert island. Lately the inquiries have been more about what classics to check out while housebound. In both cases, Alfred Hitchcock’s films top my list.
Has any other director made a greater number of peerlessly entertaining movies? Before he even came to Hollywood to make “Rebecca,” he had already racked up a formidable body of work in England, not only the famous thrillers “The 39 Steps” and “The Lady Vanishes” but also such lesser-known gems as “Secret Agent,” “Sabotage,” and “Young and Innocent.”
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
Why We Wrote This One way to focus your movie watching while shut-in is to adopt one genre or director. Film critic Peter Rainer argues Hitchcock films should be at the top of your playlist: “Has any other director made a greater number of peerlessly entertaining movies?”
“North by Northwest”
It is Hitchcock’s Hollywood movies that shine brightest for me, and none more so than 1959’s “North by Northwest.” It’s the ultimate escapist entertainment because it has, incomparably, everything: thrills, spills, romance, wit. Its crazy-quilt mistaken-identity plot, courtesy of screenwriter Ernest Lehman, features one classic scene after another. And of course – I almost forgot – it has Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint. In top form.
One year before, Hitchcock made “Vertigo,” the brooding masterpiece starring James Stewart and Kim Novak that is also his most personally felt film. For his next movie, as recounted in the must-read 1967 book “Hitchcock/Truffaut,” Hitchcock said he wanted to do something fun and lighthearted. Grant plays suave Madison Avenue ad exec Roger Thornhill, who is mistaken for a spy and chased across the country by both government agents and nefarious villains (headed by James Mason and Martin Landau at their silkiest). Two iconic sequences stand out: Grant, on the run in a flat, open field in Indiana, being attacked by a crop duster; and the grand finale, with Grant and Saint clambering up Mount Rushmore. (Reportedly Hitchcock entertained the idea of calling the film “The Man in Lincoln’s Nose.”)
The plot has so many circumlocutions that, on a first viewing, or a fifth, it may not entirely add up. But – and here’s the crucial point – it doesn’t really matter. Much of the movie’s wit is bound up in its serial escapades. There’s always something irresistible going on. Hitchcock and Lehman are playing with us. They understand how avidly we crave all this high-flying escapism, and they know just how to deliver it.
I’ve been friendly acquaintances for many years with Saint and can’t resist one anecdote here. I asked her once what it was like to work with Hitchcock, and she said he only gave her one real piece of direction: “When you’re acting opposite Cary, always remember to look into his eyes.” Not, I would venture to guess, a difficult assignment. (Unrated)
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
“To Catch a Thief”
Aside from “North by Northwest” and Stanley Donen’s “Charade” – the greatest Hitchcock movie ever made that Hitchcock didn’t make – the film in which Cary Grant is at his most Cary Grant-ish is probably 1955’s “To Catch a Thief.” He plays a retired jewel thief in the French Riviera whose comfortable life growing grapes and flowers is interrupted by a string of copycat robberies. He must clear his name. Along for the jaunt is Grace Kelly (it was during filming that she met her future husband, Prince Rainier III of Monaco) as the daughter of a rich vacationing widow. (Funny footnote: The widow is played by Jessie Royce Landis, who plays Grant’s mother in “North by Northwest,” even though she was only seven years older than him.) The movie is a glorious trifle, and all that sun-drenched Riviera scenery is good for the soul. (Rated PG)
Paramount Pictures/Album/Newcom View caption Hide caption James Stewart and Grace Kelly star in Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 film "Rear Window."
“Rear Window”
If you’re up for a somewhat darker Hitchcock movie – relax, we’re not talking “Psycho” or “The Birds” here – 1954’s “Rear Window” is just the ticket right now for our shut-in lives. James Stewart plays a news photographer laid up with his leg in a cast in his Greenwich Village apartment. He bides his time peering into the windows of his neighbors across the courtyard and gradually comes to believe that one of them has committed a murder. His gold-plated, marriage-minded girlfriend and reluctant accomplice, played by Grace Kelly, does things like ordering him dinner and champagne from “21.” This probably beats the grocery delivery service you’ve been using. It’s the ultimate movie about voyeurism featuring cinema’s most famous peeping Tom. (Rated PG)
These films are available to rent on Amazon’s Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play, and iTunes.


csmonitor--2020-04-30--Economics of hope: How EU keeps workers' jobs during lockdown

Christian Etchebest 's Parisian bistro is a shadow of its usual bustling self .
Five lunch specials sit in neat paper bags on the bar awaiting takeout customers – a tiny fraction of his normal midday business before the coronavirus .
A skeleton staff rotates in daily at La Cantine du Troquet near the banks of the Seine River , just blocks from the Eiffel Tower .
One day they packaged a streamlined version of his Basque menu : sausages with a celery and beetroot remoulade , mashed potatoes , and a dessert of strawberries with lemon sauce .
Yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not yet anyway – thanks to a French government program that lets him put staff on reduced hours and makes up most of their lost salary , on the condition they are not fired .
That is giving him a chance to keep his team together , awaiting the day when restrictions are lifted and sit-down meals are again allowed at this restaurant and his six others across Paris .
Similar programs are keeping hard-hit businesses across Europe afloat , preventing millions of workers from losing their jobs and income for now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trained staff scatter .
Some 11.3 million workers in France are getting up to 84 % of net salary .
The government estimates the cost at 24 billion euros ( $ 26 billion ) , with half of all private sector employees expected to take part .
In Germany , some 3 million workers are being supported , with the government paying up to 60 % of their net salary if they are temporarily put on shorter or zero hours .
Those with children get 67 % , and many companies such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic and the cushioning provided by such short-work programs were underlined in reports released Thursday that showed the unemployment rate in the 19-country eurozone edged up only by a tenth of a point to 7.4 % in March despite a record economic contraction .
GDP tanked 3.8 % quarter-on-quarter in the first three months of the year and is forecast to slide even more in the second quarter .
The work support programs are different from jobless benefits .
They are only for temporary shutdowns that are no fault of the business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Such programs ca n't save jobs that disappear due to long-term slowdowns in customer demand or to technological changes .
But it gives workers and bosses breathing space and hope , preventing the unnecessary destruction of viable businesses .
`` I will roll up my sleeves up and I will fight for all my restaurants , '' Mr. Etchebest said .
`` For the majority of my staff to remain with me and so on .
What else can I say ?
I ca n't contemplate the contrary ...
I will fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ His chef , Thierry Lararralde , was weathering the crisis financially thanks to the support .
`` I ca n't say I 'm struggling ; my net salary is around 3,000 euros ( $ 3,222 a month ) , I am making 700 euros ( $ 750 ) less . ''
He is making ends meet by spending less on gas and cooking at home : `` It 's cheaper , we adapt . ''
The takeout crew pushed aside their masks to eat together , Mr. Etchebest slicing a rare roast beef @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Etchebest realizes the road ahead could be tough after they re-open with fewer tables due to social distancing requirements .
`` I am fully aware we will have 40 % , 50 % less of business , '' he said , adding that some employees with health risks may not return .
`` I think everyone needs to adapt their business model – financially and operationally . ''
Economist Holger Schaefer at the German Economic Institute in Cologne said short-work support gives employers more options than the stark choice of keeping people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say , 'You come 70 % of the hours , or 50 % or 30 % . '
One does n't have to say either all or nothing , '' he said .
`` When the crisis is past and the demand for labor rises , then the business owner has exactly the right staff available right away and does n't have to find new people . ''
The support also bolsters the entire economy .
`` When someone is afraid that their job will be lost in the near future , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't buy a new car and spend less money , and that has in turn an effect on the macro-economy , '' Mr. Schaefer said .
Short-work schemes proved their value during the Great Recession in Germany , where 1.4 million workers took part .
The unemployment rate only edged up , from 7.3 % in January 2009 to 7.5 % in December that year , even as the economy shrank a painful 5 % .
Growth then quickly rebounded .
It 's the flip side of a European labor market , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hiring in good times and where income taxes are higher to pay for the safety nets .
It took seven years for unemployment to drop from a peak of over 12 % in 2013 in euro-currency countries to 7.3 % in February .
Femke Zimmermann , manager of Brasserie Berlage in The Hague in the Netherlands , has her eye on re-opening even as she spends most days at home looking after her 1-year-old and 5-year-old sons while the restaurant 's owners pay her with government help .
For now , she is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She stays in contact with her team and asked them to come in to give the restaurant a two-day spring clean .
`` They hate sitting at home .
They want to do something for the business , '' she said .
Athens waiter George Sakkas is getting by on a Greek government program that lets businesses suspend workers ' contracts and replaces their pay with a flat stipend of 800 euros ( $ 870 ) .
Businesses that take the help can not fire staff .
`` The stipend definitely helped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amount was roughly what he would make anyway .
`` In the beginning we did n't know about the stipend , so [ the closing ] hit us very badly , '' he said .
`` When the stipend arrived it gave us some breathing space . ''
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Mr. McHugh reported from Frankfurt , Germany .
AP writers Mike Corder in The Hague , Netherlands ; Angela Charlton in Paris ; and Theodora Tongas in Athens contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Christian Etchebest's Parisian bistro is a shadow of its usual bustling self. Five lunch specials sit in neat paper bags on the bar awaiting takeout customers – a tiny fraction of his normal midday business before the coronavirus.
A skeleton staff rotates in daily at La Cantine du Troquet near the banks of the Seine River, just blocks from the Eiffel Tower. One day they packaged a streamlined version of his Basque menu: sausages with a celery and beetroot remoulade, mashed potatoes, and a dessert of strawberries with lemon sauce.
Yet Mr. Etchebest isn't facing bankruptcy – not yet anyway – thanks to a French government program that lets him put staff on reduced hours and makes up most of their lost salary, on the condition they are not fired. That is giving him a chance to keep his team together, awaiting the day when restrictions are lifted and sit-down meals are again allowed at this restaurant and his six others across Paris.
Similar programs are keeping hard-hit businesses across Europe afloat, preventing millions of workers from losing their jobs and income for now, and thousands of bosses from seeing their trained staff scatter. Some 11.3 million workers in France are getting up to 84% of net salary. The government estimates the cost at 24 billion euros ($26 billion), with half of all private sector employees expected to take part.
In Germany, some 3 million workers are being supported, with the government paying up to 60% of their net salary if they are temporarily put on shorter or zero hours. Those with children get 67%, and many companies such as Volkswagen add more.
The impact of the pandemic and the cushioning provided by such short-work programs were underlined in reports released Thursday that showed the unemployment rate in the 19-country eurozone edged up only by a tenth of a point to 7.4% in March despite a record economic contraction. GDP tanked 3.8% quarter-on-quarter in the first three months of the year and is forecast to slide even more in the second quarter.
The work support programs are different from jobless benefits. They are only for temporary shutdowns that are no fault of the business itself. And they are no panacea. Such programs can't save jobs that disappear due to long-term slowdowns in customer demand or to technological changes. But it gives workers and bosses breathing space and hope, preventing the unnecessary destruction of viable businesses.
"I will roll up my sleeves up and I will fight for all my restaurants," Mr. Etchebest said. "For the majority of my staff to remain with me and so on. What else can I say? I can't contemplate the contrary ... I will fight for it until the end."
His chef, Thierry Lararralde, was weathering the crisis financially thanks to the support. "I can't say I'm struggling; my net salary is around 3,000 euros ($3,222 a month), I am making 700 euros ($750) less." He is making ends meet by spending less on gas and cooking at home: "It's cheaper, we adapt."
The takeout crew pushed aside their masks to eat together, Mr. Etchebest slicing a rare roast beef on a wooden board for them.
Mr. Etchebest realizes the road ahead could be tough after they re-open with fewer tables due to social distancing requirements.
"I am fully aware we will have 40%, 50% less of business," he said, adding that some employees with health risks may not return. "I think everyone needs to adapt their business model – financially and operationally."
Economist Holger Schaefer at the German Economic Institute in Cologne said short-work support gives employers more options than the stark choice of keeping people or firing them.
"I can say, 'You come 70% of the hours, or 50% or 30%.' One doesn't have to say either all or nothing," he said. "When the crisis is past and the demand for labor rises, then the business owner has exactly the right staff available right away and doesn't have to find new people."
The support also bolsters the entire economy. "When someone is afraid that their job will be lost in the near future, that person limits their consumption, they don't buy a new car and spend less money, and that has in turn an effect on the macro-economy," Mr. Schaefer said.
Short-work schemes proved their value during the Great Recession in Germany, where 1.4 million workers took part. The unemployment rate only edged up, from 7.3% in January 2009 to 7.5% in December that year, even as the economy shrank a painful 5%. Growth then quickly rebounded.
It's the flip side of a European labor market, where worker protections are often blamed for deterring hiring in good times and where income taxes are higher to pay for the safety nets. It took seven years for unemployment to drop from a peak of over 12% in 2013 in euro-currency countries to 7.3% in February.
Femke Zimmermann, manager of Brasserie Berlage in The Hague in the Netherlands, has her eye on re-opening even as she spends most days at home looking after her 1-year-old and 5-year-old sons while the restaurant's owners pay her with government help.
For now, she is not overly worried about losing her job. She stays in contact with her team and asked them to come in to give the restaurant a two-day spring clean.
"They hate sitting at home. They want to do something for the business," she said.
Athens waiter George Sakkas is getting by on a Greek government program that lets businesses suspend workers' contracts and replaces their pay with a flat stipend of 800 euros ($870). Businesses that take the help cannot fire staff.
"The stipend definitely helped," he said, noting the amount was roughly what he would make anyway.
"In the beginning we didn't know about the stipend, so [the closing] hit us very badly," he said. "When the stipend arrived it gave us some breathing space."
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. Mr. McHugh reported from Frankfurt, Germany. AP writers Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands; Angela Charlton in Paris; and Theodora Tongas in Athens contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-04-13--World music: From a globetrotter’s Queens apartment to your ears

“ Music is important as the intellectual and spiritual and artistic expression of humankind , ” says Mr. Pavkovic , who speaks five languages , has traveled to 75 countries , and is fond of using the adjective “ cosmopolitan.
” “ I ’ m promoting my friends from distant territories , because I think they deserve to be heard .
Everybody knows about Western artists , but who knows about Indonesian artists or Brazilian artists or people from India or Spain or Serbia or Macedonia ?
” Today , he runs MoonJune Records out of the apartment in Queens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ label ’ s business model is as unorthodox as its global roster of experimental rock and jazz .
In February , it passed the milestone of releasing its 100th album .
But fewer than a dozen of them have turned a profit .
Mr. Pavkovic is OK with that .
He believes the music enriches those who get to hear it .
The impresario embodies the spirit of globalization by finding niche musical acts and pollinating their music across the world .
Three decades ago , Leonardo Pavkovic arrived in New York City @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drawn to the city ’ s influence on the music world .
Long before Leonardo Pavkovic founded a one-man record label , he dreamed of freedom .
As a child , he gazed at the hills behind his remote village in Yugoslavia and asked his grandpa , “ What is on the other side of the mountain ?
” Talking from his home office in New York City more than 50 years later , Mr. Pavkovic recalls an epiphanic moment .
“ I said to myself , ‘ I need to see that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the heart of MoonJune Records , which Mr. Pavkovic established in 2001 .
Its business model is as unorthodox as its global roster of experimental rock and jazz .
In February , the label passed the milestone of releasing its 100th album .
But fewer than a dozen of them have turned a profit .
Mr. Pavkovic is OK with that .
He believes the music enriches those who get to hear it .
The impresario embodies the spirit of globalization by finding niche musical acts – to cite one example , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and pollinating their music across the world .
“ Music is important as the intellectual and spiritual and artistic expression of humankind , ” says Mr. Pavkovic , who speaks five languages , has traveled to 75 countries , and is fond of using the adjective “ cosmopolitan.
” “ I ’ m promoting my friends from distant territories , because I think they deserve to be heard .
Everybody knows about Western artists , but who knows about Indonesian artists or Brazilian artists or people from India or Spain or Serbia or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s losses with money he makes as a tour promoter for his acts .
Since the spread of COVID-19 , he has been making phone calls across the globe to cancel and reschedule show dates , hotel bookings , and airline flights .
The shutdown derailed a tour by Stick Men , a trio whose music centers around an obscure 8- to 12-stringed musical instrument called the Chapman Stick .
It ’ s a blow , given that Stick Men is one of the acts that helps float all the rest .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that there is always a solution , ” says the irrepressibly upbeat Mr. Pavkovic .
It ’ s a quality that ’ s helped him deal with many mercurial musicians .
Mr. Pavkovic ’ s musical imagination took flight when he attended college in Belgrade , Serbia .
An older friend introduced him to artists such as Magma , Frank Zappa , Keith Jarrett , King Crimson , and Van der Graaf Generator who blurred the boundaries between jazz , rock , classical , and folk .
Their intrepid exploration resonated with him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ outlook on ] life – to know the world , to conquer the world , to know things , to find them – inspired me , ” he says .
Mr. Pavkovic ’ s attraction to the center of the music world and his ability to improvise under less than ideal circumstances led him to New York City .
He arrived with $ 500 in his pocket .
Three decades later , he runs MoonJune out of the apartment in Queens he shares with his wife .
The label emanates “ a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” says Prog magazine music journalist Sid Smith .
“ [ Its ] records possess energy and focus , a quality that ’ s present in what appears to be quite diverse and different releases but which gives them all a kind of continuity .
” Mr. Pavkovic has grown MoonJune ’ s mailing list to 22,000 people and handles everything from marketing to designing artwork .
He relishes introducing his small but fervently devoted audience to new sounds .
The label includes seven artists from Indonesia , for example .
For MoonJune @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of degrees .
Mr. Pavkovic is delighted if he can boost an act ’ s sales from 200 to 400 albums .
More importantly , MoonJune ’ s marketing efforts include mailing as many as 400 promos to media outlets worldwide .
It generates invaluable exposure .
For example , Seattle-based guitarist Dennis Rea – the sort of musician who relishes collaborating with a Tuvan throat singer – has been invited to play festivals in Mexico and Russia as a result of Mr. Pavkovic ’ s promotion .
“ Albums of minor artists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even more reviews all around the world – online and in the printed press – and a lot of college and online airplay on various radio stations , ” says Mr. Pavkovic .
“ If not for me , probably no one would ever know about them outside of their circles in their countries or even in their cities.
” The label owner also takes time to correspond with individual fans .
He enthusiastically explains how a British expatriate in Vietnam discovered MoonJune by purchasing an archival reissue by British psychedelic jazz-rock group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enamored with the label ’ s sensibility that he ’ s since bought every single MoonJune release .
For the label owner , that offers more satisfaction than turning a profit .
His joy lies in discovering more of the world and its beauty .
“ I ’ m always looking for something , ” reflects Mr. Pavkovic , who sometimes convenes musicians on his label to record in a mansion named La Casa Murada in Catalonia , Spain , so that they can improvise and stretch musical boundaries .
“ We don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will sell .
We want to be free .
Because that ’ s the point of the art .
”

Can the efforts of one person bring about more interest in global culture? With perseverance and an upbeat attitude, record label owner Leonardo Pavkovic is trying to get more of the world’s music heard.
“Music is important as the intellectual and spiritual and artistic expression of humankind,” says Mr. Pavkovic, who speaks five languages, has traveled to 75 countries, and is fond of using the adjective “cosmopolitan.” “I’m promoting my friends from distant territories, because I think they deserve to be heard. Everybody knows about Western artists, but who knows about Indonesian artists or Brazilian artists or people from India or Spain or Serbia or Macedonia?”
Today, he runs MoonJune Records out of the apartment in Queens he shares with his wife. The label’s business model is as unorthodox as its global roster of experimental rock and jazz. In February, it passed the milestone of releasing its 100th album. But fewer than a dozen of them have turned a profit. Mr. Pavkovic is OK with that. He believes the music enriches those who get to hear it. The impresario embodies the spirit of globalization by finding niche musical acts and pollinating their music across the world.
Three decades ago, Leonardo Pavkovic arrived in New York City with $500 in his pocket, drawn to the city’s influence on the music world.
Long before Leonardo Pavkovic founded a one-man record label, he dreamed of freedom. As a child, he gazed at the hills behind his remote village in Yugoslavia and asked his grandpa, “What is on the other side of the mountain?”
His grandfather’s answer was simple: “The world.”
Talking from his home office in New York City more than 50 years later, Mr. Pavkovic recalls an epiphanic moment. “I said to myself, ‘I need to see that world.’”
Why We Wrote This Can the efforts of one person bring about more interest in global culture? With perseverance and an upbeat attitude, record label owner Leonardo Pavkovic is trying to get more of the world’s music heard.
That wanderlust is at the heart of MoonJune Records, which Mr. Pavkovic established in 2001. Its business model is as unorthodox as its global roster of experimental rock and jazz. In February, the label passed the milestone of releasing its 100th album. But fewer than a dozen of them have turned a profit. Mr. Pavkovic is OK with that. He believes the music enriches those who get to hear it. The impresario embodies the spirit of globalization by finding niche musical acts – to cite one example, the Serbian jazz fusion pianist Vasil Hadžimanov – and pollinating their music across the world.
“Music is important as the intellectual and spiritual and artistic expression of humankind,” says Mr. Pavkovic, who speaks five languages, has traveled to 75 countries, and is fond of using the adjective “cosmopolitan.” “I’m promoting my friends from distant territories, because I think they deserve to be heard. Everybody knows about Western artists, but who knows about Indonesian artists or Brazilian artists or people from India or Spain or Serbia or Macedonia?”
“There is always a solution”
Mr. Pavkovic subsidizes MoonJune’s losses with money he makes as a tour promoter for his acts. Since the spread of COVID-19, he has been making phone calls across the globe to cancel and reschedule show dates, hotel bookings, and airline flights. The shutdown derailed a tour by Stick Men, a trio whose music centers around an obscure 8- to 12-stringed musical instrument called the Chapman Stick. It’s a blow, given that Stick Men is one of the acts that helps float all the rest.
“I figured out in my life that there is always a solution,” says the irrepressibly upbeat Mr. Pavkovic. It’s a quality that’s helped him deal with many mercurial musicians.
Mr. Pavkovic’s musical imagination took flight when he attended college in Belgrade, Serbia. An older friend introduced him to artists such as Magma, Frank Zappa, Keith Jarrett, King Crimson, and Van der Graaf Generator who blurred the boundaries between jazz, rock, classical, and folk. Their intrepid exploration resonated with him.
“Somehow my positive, optimistic [outlook on] life – to know the world, to conquer the world, to know things, to find them – inspired me,” he says.
A knack for improvising
Mr. Pavkovic’s attraction to the center of the music world and his ability to improvise under less than ideal circumstances led him to New York City. He arrived with $500 in his pocket. Three decades later, he runs MoonJune out of the apartment in Queens he shares with his wife.
The label emanates “a sense of exploration and joyous adventure,” says Prog magazine music journalist Sid Smith. “[Its] records possess energy and focus, a quality that’s present in what appears to be quite diverse and different releases but which gives them all a kind of continuity. ”
Mr. Pavkovic has grown MoonJune’s mailing list to 22,000 people and handles everything from marketing to designing artwork. He relishes introducing his small but fervently devoted audience to new sounds. The label includes seven artists from Indonesia, for example.
For MoonJune, success is measured by a matter of degrees. Mr. Pavkovic is delighted if he can boost an act’s sales from 200 to 400 albums. More importantly, MoonJune’s marketing efforts include mailing as many as 400 promos to media outlets worldwide. It generates invaluable exposure. For example, Seattle-based guitarist Dennis Rea – the sort of musician who relishes collaborating with a Tuvan throat singer – has been invited to play festivals in Mexico and Russia as a result of Mr. Pavkovic’s promotion.
“Albums of minor artists can even generate 70 to 80 or even more reviews all around the world – online and in the printed press – and a lot of college and online airplay on various radio stations,” says Mr. Pavkovic. “If not for me, probably no one would ever know about them outside of their circles in their countries or even in their cities.”
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
The label owner also takes time to correspond with individual fans. He enthusiastically explains how a British expatriate in Vietnam discovered MoonJune by purchasing an archival reissue by British psychedelic jazz-rock group Soft Machine. The listener became so enamored with the label’s sensibility that he’s since bought every single MoonJune release. For the label owner, that offers more satisfaction than turning a profit. His joy lies in discovering more of the world and its beauty.
“I’m always looking for something,” reflects Mr. Pavkovic, who sometimes convenes musicians on his label to record in a mansion named La Casa Murada in Catalonia, Spain, so that they can improvise and stretch musical boundaries. “We don’t care about if this music will sell. We want to be free. Because that’s the point of the art.”


csmonitor--2020-04-16--Sayings that uncover the silver linings

Sayings that uncover the silver linings

Languages around the world have proverbs about how good can be discovered in , or result from , negative situations .
In English we might say “ Every cloud has a silver lining , ” “ April showers bring May flowers , ” or “ If life gives you lemons , make lemonade.
” How are these ideas expressed in other languages ?
French has a rain proverb too – “ After the rain , the good weather ” – as well as one that is quite clear about the potential value of difficulty : “ Unhappiness is good for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the day wasn ’ t your friend , then it was your teacher.
” In Spanish it ’ s not the rains but the days of the week that remind people that things will improve : “ Every Tuesday has its Sunday.
” I ’ m not sure what ’ s wrong with Tuesday – perhaps you are tired from Monday but still have a long week ahead ?
Then there is the Chinese “ Sai Weng lost his horse , ” which appears in Japanese as “ Life is like Sai ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ classic Chinese story about how to evaluate positive versus negative events .
Sai ’ s horse runs away , which appears to be a misfortune .
But it returns , bringing along another beautiful horse .
His son tries to ride it and falls off , breaking his leg , but when the army comes to draft him into a war , he can not go because of his injury .
According to Daniel Crump Buchanan , author of “ Japanese Proverbs and Sayings , ” the moral is “ An evil sometimes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disguise.
” Mandarin teacher Qui Giu Su notes , however , that the saying has another interpretation : “ With what at first appears to be good luck can come misfortune.
” It is best , in other words , not to get too excited about good or ill circumstances , but to ride them out , for they will change .
The Yoruba version of our proverbial lemons is bitter leaf , Vernonia amygdalina , which features in the saying , “ The same rain that fell on the bitter leaf also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation can produce both bad things and good – it depends on how a person reacts to it .
“ Turn your face to the sun and shadows fall behind you ” is a version of “ Look on the bright side ” that appears in Maori as well as several African languages .
Mongolian advises that sometimes , one just has to endure tribulations as best one can : “ Times are not always the same ; the grass is not always greener.
” Occasionally when you travel with your sheep in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t find any .
But , there ’ s hope here too – sometimes it is greener ; better days will return .
The proverb that works best in these physically distanced coronavirus times ?
In Mongolian , it ’ s “ Man ’ s happiness lies in vacant steppes .
”

Languages around the world have proverbs about how good can be discovered in, or result from, negative situations. In English we might say “Every cloud has a silver lining,” “April showers bring May flowers,” or “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” How are these ideas expressed in other languages?
French has a rain proverb too – “After the rain, the good weather” – as well as one that is quite clear about the potential value of difficulty: “Unhappiness is good for something.” German goes with “If the day wasn’t your friend, then it was your teacher.”
In Spanish it’s not the rains but the days of the week that remind people that things will improve: “Every Tuesday has its Sunday.” I’m not sure what’s wrong with Tuesday – perhaps you are tired from Monday but still have a long week ahead?
Then there is the Chinese “Sai Weng lost his horse,” which appears in Japanese as “Life is like Sai’s horse.” These refer to a classic Chinese story about how to evaluate positive versus negative events. Sai’s horse runs away, which appears to be a misfortune. But it returns, bringing along another beautiful horse. His son tries to ride it and falls off, breaking his leg, but when the army comes to draft him into a war, he cannot go because of his injury. According to Daniel Crump Buchanan, author of “Japanese Proverbs and Sayings,” the moral is “An evil sometimes turns out to be a blessing in disguise.”
Mandarin teacher Qui Giu Su notes, however, that the saying has another interpretation: “With what at first appears to be good luck can come misfortune.” It is best, in other words, not to get too excited about good or ill circumstances, but to ride them out, for they will change.
The Yoruba version of our proverbial lemons is bitter leaf, Vernonia amygdalina, which features in the saying, “The same rain that fell on the bitter leaf also fell on the sugarcane.” The same situation can produce both bad things and good – it depends on how a person reacts to it.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
“Turn your face to the sun and shadows fall behind you” is a version of “Look on the bright side” that appears in Maori as well as several African languages. Mongolian advises that sometimes, one just has to endure tribulations as best one can: “Times are not always the same; the grass is not always greener.” Occasionally when you travel with your sheep in search of better grass, you just don’t find any. But, there’s hope here too – sometimes it is greener; better days will return.
The proverb that works best in these physically distanced coronavirus times? In Mongolian, it’s “Man’s happiness lies in vacant steppes.”


csmonitor--2020-05-06--No jobs, so what future? Half the world’s workforce on the edge.

Depression-era levels of mass unemployment would be bound to bring social and political upheavals .
But if governments recognize that this is a global problem , says the International Labor Organization , and work together to solve it rather than put their domestic interests first , they might be able to avert the worst .
Even if the world finds its way out of the COVID-19 crisis reasonably soon , it is not certain that these workers in the “ informal economy ” will be able to quickly find jobs during the slump that most observers are predicting .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people than that have lost their jobs and have no unemployment benefit to fall back on .
They are the 1.6 billion workers on the margins of the economy – migrant workers , gig workers , and service industry staff who make up half the world ’ s workforce .
They are in immediate danger of losing their livelihood and finding it precariously hard to make ends meet , according to a report last week from the International Labor Organization .
The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked economic havoc , shuttering businesses and destroying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States alone , over 30 million people have applied for unemployment benefits in recent weeks .
Even amid the torrent of statistics surrounding the COVID-19 crisis , it stands out .
And while it ’ s received only scant media attention , it matters .
A lot .
Because it highlights a critical and truly global challenge almost sure to outlast the pandemic itself .
That 1.6 billion is the number of people on the margins of the world economy , from migrant workers to those employed in the gig economy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their livelihoods .
They make up half the world ’ s workforce and it is far from certain that their jobs will reappear even when the crisis is over .
Hundreds of millions of jobs have been put on hold by coronavirus shutdowns around the world .
That ’ s been especially true in countries already hit by the pandemic .
But other areas , like Africa and much of South America , are suffering from the international economic fallout and are likely to face heightened job losses if the pandemic strikes harder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 30 million people , over 15 % of the workforce , have applied for unemployment benefits in recent weeks .
In Western Europe , joblessness is also increasing .
Only government wage-support subsidies have staved off a U.S.-scale spike , by keeping idle or furloughed workers notionally employed .
In China , official statistics have reported only a slight uptick in unemployment .
But that figure excludes a migrant workforce of nearly 300 million people .
That ’ s where the 1.6 billion figure comes in .
Released last week by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the so-called informal economy – whether migrant , agricultural , or shift workers in the developing world , or the gig workers and service-industry staff increasingly predominant in wealthier economies .
The ILO found that COVID-19 had left almost all 2 billion of them finding it precariously hard to make ends meet .
The immediate challenge for governments essentially involves budgeting , or printing , more money : for multitrillion-dollar stimulus programs like those in the U.S. , or salary-support schemes favored in Europe and elsewhere .
And there is every likelihood that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grow further .
But that may turn out to be the easy part .
An even tougher challenge lies ahead .
The best-case scenario envisages a fairly early exit from COVID-19 , through a combination of treatment or inoculation advances and a staged reboot of the world economy .
It ’ s a hope shared on all continents , by governments democratic and authoritarian .
A number of U.S. states , as well as COVID-affected countries in Europe and Asia , are now tentatively beginning to reopen for business .
But there ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a best-case scenario : How many of the jobs lost to COVID-19 will be lost for good , or at least for a long time after the economic reopenings ?
That question is particularly acute in the service economy – restaurants , leisure businesses , small retail shops – and for the ILO ’ s 1.6 billion strugglers in the informal economy worldwide .
Much will depend on the longer-term effects of the blow COVID-19 has dealt to the world economy , through major slowdowns in the world ’ s two leading economies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ huge disruptions to international trade .
Two very different examples : Across Asia , millions work in garment and other factories that have thrived largely on exports to Europe .
Many were suddenly made jobless by COVID-19 shutdowns .
The question now will be whether , or how quickly , demand for their products will rebound in a post-pandemic world economy .
In Europe itself , Greece has so far confounded predictions by avoiding the kind of mass outbreaks that have claimed tens of thousands of lives in Italy , France , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critical to Greece ’ s economy , employing a fifth of the workforce .
The country can only hope not just that airlines and airports reopen , but that the tourists recover a pre-pandemic appetite for air travel .
Yet beyond the economic imponderables , long-term mass joblessness – possibly on the scale of the Great Depression in the 1930s – could pose major social and political challenges .
Work , especially for those living payday to payday , is essential to economic survival .
But it ’ s also central to people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ self-definition , even self-worth .
The human cost of the Great Depression – a period that , like many of great suffering , also produced great insights and works of art – is perhaps chronicled nowhere as searingly as in the pages of John Steinbeck ’ s “ Grapes of Wrath.
” While work can form a core part of a person ’ s identity , worklessness can depress and embitter .
A more recent example – the political fallout from the 2008 world financial crisis – is a reminder that one result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of anger and resentment on which populist strongmen often feed .
The good news , or so organizations like the ILO are emphasizing , is that the employment crisis caused by COVID-19 is not limited to one country or region .
Their hope is that , rather than focus only on the domestic imperative of getting each national economy back on its feet , governments will take shared , international action to address the needs of the “ 1.6 billion ” in a post-pandemic world .

Depression-era levels of mass unemployment would be bound to bring social and political upheavals. But if governments recognize that this is a global problem, says the International Labor Organization, and work together to solve it rather than put their domestic interests first, they might be able to avert the worst.
Even if the world finds its way out of the COVID-19 crisis reasonably soon, it is not certain that these workers in the “informal economy” will be able to quickly find jobs during the slump that most observers are predicting.
Hundreds of millions of people worldwide have lost their jobs as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. But what about the 1.6 billion workers in the “informal sector” – half the global workforce – who didn’t have a steady job to start with?
But around the world, 50 times more people than that have lost their jobs and have no unemployment benefit to fall back on. They are the 1.6 billion workers on the margins of the economy – migrant workers, gig workers, and service industry staff who make up half the world’s workforce. They are in immediate danger of losing their livelihood and finding it precariously hard to make ends meet, according to a report last week from the International Labor Organization.
The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked economic havoc, shuttering businesses and destroying jobs across the globe. In the United States alone, over 30 million people have applied for unemployment benefits in recent weeks.
The figure is jaw-droppingly large: 1,600,000,000. One-point-six billion.
Even amid the torrent of statistics surrounding the COVID-19 crisis, it stands out. And while it’s received only scant media attention, it matters. A lot. Because it highlights a critical and truly global challenge almost sure to outlast the pandemic itself.
That 1.6 billion is the number of people on the margins of the world economy, from migrant workers to those employed in the gig economy, who are in immediate danger of losing their livelihoods. They make up half the world’s workforce and it is far from certain that their jobs will reappear even when the crisis is over.
Why We Wrote This Hundreds of millions of people worldwide have lost their jobs as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. But what about the 1.6 billion workers in the “informal sector” – half the global workforce – who didn’t have a steady job to start with?
Hundreds of millions of jobs have been put on hold by coronavirus shutdowns around the world. That’s been especially true in countries already hit by the pandemic. But other areas, like Africa and much of South America, are suffering from the international economic fallout and are likely to face heightened job losses if the pandemic strikes harder there.
In the United States, more than 30 million people, over 15% of the workforce, have applied for unemployment benefits in recent weeks. In Western Europe, joblessness is also increasing. Only government wage-support subsidies have staved off a U.S.-scale spike, by keeping idle or furloughed workers notionally employed. In China, official statistics have reported only a slight uptick in unemployment. But that figure excludes a migrant workforce of nearly 300 million people.
That’s where the 1.6 billion figure comes in. Released last week by the International Labor Organization, it covers the so-called informal economy – whether migrant, agricultural, or shift workers in the developing world, or the gig workers and service-industry staff increasingly predominant in wealthier economies. The ILO found that COVID-19 had left almost all 2 billion of them finding it precariously hard to make ends meet.
The immediate challenge for governments essentially involves budgeting, or printing, more money: for multitrillion-dollar stimulus programs like those in the U.S., or salary-support schemes favored in Europe and elsewhere. And there is every likelihood that the sums needed for such schemes will grow further.
But that may turn out to be the easy part. An even tougher challenge lies ahead.
The best-case scenario envisages a fairly early exit from COVID-19, through a combination of treatment or inoculation advances and a staged reboot of the world economy. It’s a hope shared on all continents, by governments democratic and authoritarian. A number of U.S. states, as well as COVID-affected countries in Europe and Asia, are now tentatively beginning to reopen for business.
But there’s a key question, even in a best-case scenario: How many of the jobs lost to COVID-19 will be lost for good, or at least for a long time after the economic reopenings? That question is particularly acute in the service economy – restaurants, leisure businesses, small retail shops – and for the ILO’s 1.6 billion strugglers in the informal economy worldwide.
Much will depend on the longer-term effects of the blow COVID-19 has dealt to the world economy, through major slowdowns in the world’s two leading economies, the U.S. and China, and huge disruptions to international trade.
Two very different examples: Across Asia, millions work in garment and other factories that have thrived largely on exports to Europe. Many were suddenly made jobless by COVID-19 shutdowns. The question now will be whether, or how quickly, demand for their products will rebound in a post-pandemic world economy.
In Europe itself, Greece has so far confounded predictions by avoiding the kind of mass outbreaks that have claimed tens of thousands of lives in Italy, France, and Britain. But the tourism sector is critical to Greece’s economy, employing a fifth of the workforce. The country can only hope not just that airlines and airports reopen, but that the tourists recover a pre-pandemic appetite for air travel.
Yet beyond the economic imponderables, long-term mass joblessness – possibly on the scale of the Great Depression in the 1930s – could pose major social and political challenges.
Work, especially for those living payday to payday, is essential to economic survival. But it’s also central to people’s identity, their sense of self-definition, even self-worth. The human cost of the Great Depression – a period that, like many of great suffering, also produced great insights and works of art – is perhaps chronicled nowhere as searingly as in the pages of John Steinbeck’s “Grapes of Wrath.”
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
While work can form a core part of a person’s identity, worklessness can depress and embitter. A more recent example – the political fallout from the 2008 world financial crisis – is a reminder that one result can be a growth in the kind of anger and resentment on which populist strongmen often feed.
The good news, or so organizations like the ILO are emphasizing, is that the employment crisis caused by COVID-19 is not limited to one country or region. Their hope is that, rather than focus only on the domestic imperative of getting each national economy back on its feet, governments will take shared, international action to address the needs of the “1.6 billion” in a post-pandemic world.