Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky was probably the most important and consequential Russian writer. His understanding of the human condition emerges especially from the novel The Brothers Karamazov (1880). 

His literary testament wrestles with the question of evil and innocence, of individual freedom and suffering, of religion and tyranny. Dostoevsky mounted up a sharp criticism of institutionalized Christianity, as well as secular modernity. He may have had his own dreams about the messianic role which Russia had to play in the political designs of modern Europe. However, despite the failures of the Slavophile movement, one still needs to give heed to Dostoevsky’s extraordinary insights into the subtle dialogue of faith and reason. In order to understand the origins of modern atheism, the genealogy of Western nihilism, and the logic of the secular age, we must come to grips with Dostoevsky’s work. 

The author of Brothers Karamazov was genuinely representative of that ancient wisdom which affirms that through stories (rather than through philosophical abstraction) we can articulate a therapeutic approach to the question of evil. Dostoevsky understood that one’s life must be depicted, not as a rigid mathematical equation, but as an epic tale. The “mystery of iniquity” (to put it in...

As thousands of African migrants land on the golden beaches of Spain, old Europe shows the signs of fatigue. In August, most of its politicians are on holiday. Every summer, for nearly six weeks, Brussels officials cannot be bothered to ponder the future of the European Union. 

In the meantime, in Mediterranean countries, the youth seem to be haunted by the same pressing question: “Will I get a proper job?” In Greece, unemployment stands at 42.9 percent; in Spain, unemployment is 35 percent; in Italy, it is more than 30 percent. Compared to the recent performance of the U.S. economy, such figures are perplexing. They indicate the existence of a severe threat to political stability and social cohesion. In both economic and existential terms, joblessness is a serious matter. Why? Because a job provides, not just an income, but also a sense of purpose. It is not government handouts or parental support that make young people happy, but personal responsibility and a deep-seated conviction that the fruits of one's labor make the world a better place.

According to official statistics, by late April 8.5 percent of the eurozone population was out of work. There are nearly 4.5 million young persons under...

As the world continues to discuss Donald Trump’s performance at the NATO summit and his meeting with Vladimir Putin, my fellow Romanians watched, too. From my distinctly Eastern European perspective, they were a disappointing series of missed opportunities.

Too often and too easily, President Trump seemed distracted by his domestic agenda, which prevented him from providing an inspiring vision for Western civilization. The Art of the Deal speaks at length about the importance of “thinking big” – and Eastern Europe needs a broad vision of ordered liberty.

Trump deserves credit for raising the issue of Angela Merkel's deal with Gazprom, as well as Germany's dependency on Russia for natural resources, at the 2018 NATO summit. During his press conference with Vladimir Putin, President Trump restated his critical view of the multi-billion-dollar Nord Stream 2 deal between Berlin and the Kremlin: “We’re going to be selling LNG [liquefied natural gas], and we’ll have to be competing with the pipeline, and I think will compete successfully.”

This bold economic message made the Russian president uneasy. But Trump should have doubled down by emphasizing that America's competitiveness in the field of energy has everything to do with the success of the free market and...

“The saddest country I went to was Romania, years ago, during Ceaușescu’s rule.” This is how the famous British actor Christopher Lee described his encounter with my native land at a time when the Cold War was threatening the stability of the planet. 

In 1989, Communism finally collapsed. My generation included, as far as I can tell, countless fans of rock music and avid listeners to the subversive Radio Free Europe. On our first official post-communist Christmas holiday, my family was hoping that the political landscape of Eastern Europe would quickly be shaped by healthy democratic institutions, secure private property and free trade, economic competition, as well as a robust sense of personal responsibility. Those high expectations have been miserably disappointed.

Just a few days before Christmas, despite the icy weather in Bucharest, hundreds of thousands of people gathered together to mourn the death of King Michael of Romania (1921-2017). Prince Charles of Wales, as well as King Juan Carlos of Spain, attended the funeral of one of the last Eastern Orthodox monarchs in the world. Many revered him as a dignified statesman, who witnessed the destruction of old Europe under Hitler and Stalin, the tumultuous unfolding of the Cold War, as well as the post-1989 rebirth of democratic institutions in his native region.

Though relatively unknown to the broader public in the West, King Michael’s life was nothing short of extraordinary. In 1927, his father left the throne to pursue a romantic adventure with a larger than life mistress, Elena Lupescu (1895-1977). The royal families in Europe sanctioned this betrayal of the marriage vows, which the astute and yet amoral Prince Carol II had spoken before the youthful Princess Helen of Greece and Denmark (1896-1982). Those were the days when ordinary people saw the open practice of adultery as unacceptable for a sovereign exercising the highest office in the country. As a consequence, Carol II resigned and Michael was made...