The influx of immigrants in 2015 sparked significant anti-immigrant sentiment in the Czech Republic. While by British standards, this might be labeled as racist, I attributed it to Czech history rather than Czech culture — a small nation with a history of invasions is naturally inclined to be protective of its borders.Then I read How liberalism became ‘the God that failed’ in Eastern Europe, which challenged this simplistic explanation. The full article is worth a read, but I’ll summarise some key points here:

• After the fall of communism, Western liberalism promised to transform Central and Eastern Europe. The option put forward was to imitate the values and practices of the West. The leading figures of the Velvet Revolution aimed to overturn one system to copy another.

• During the post-communist years a lot of the most educated Eastern and Central Europeans left for the West: if the goal was to become like the West then why not go and live there instead of suffering the transition? The extent of these departures had profound economic, political, and psychological consequences. It also awakened fears of national disappearance.

• By 2010 the Central and Eastern European versions of liberalism had been tainted by decades of rising social inequality, corruption, and the morally arbitrary redistribution of public property into the hands of a small number of people. In addition, the idea that the Western political economy was the best model had been linked to the belief Western elites knew what they were doing. With the 2008 economic crisis it become obvious they did not.

• In 2015, hysteria over non-existent immigrants about to overrun Central and Eastern European countries saw the substitution of an illusory danger (immigration) for the real danger (depopulation and demographic collapse). This was the moment many Eastern and Central Europeans issued their declaration of independence — not only from Brussels, but from Western liberalism and its ethos of openness to the world.

This notion of cultural disappearance helped me to understand the Czech’s anti-immigrant views. For instance, Czechs often tell me it is sad British culture is being eradicated. When I ask for examples they cite the influence of other nationalities and religions — for example the proliferation of mosques. It’s as if Czechs are projecting their own fear of cultural death onto the UK (they are so afraid of it happening to them they worry about the poor old UK being overrun by foreigners). In contrast, for many British people multiculturalism is the only thing which makes them feel proud to be British (that’s always been my impression anyway, but post-Brexit I concede that some no longer share this view).

The problem with ‘saving a culture’ is no one is quite sure what they’re trying to protect. Culture is a nebulous and subjective term. It encompasses a wide range of aspects: language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music, and art. Today there is so much crossover it is unclear where one culture ends and another begins.

Some believe the only way to ‘reclaim’ a country’s culture (or their version of it) is to go backwards. In Britain, the older generations voted for Brexit, waving union jacks and harking back to the war years when “Britannia ruled the waves”. They have conveniently forgotten the hardships of that era, not to mention why a united Europe was deemed so important in the first place.

Such romanticised versions of the past are dangerous: if a medieval man reappeared in today’s world he’d reminisce about the ‘good old days’ when he could chop off people’s heads rather than stomach their opinions.

Likewise, numerous elderly Czechs lament that life was better during communism due to guaranteed employment. They seem to have forgotten that this assurance came at the cost of personal freedom and meant enduring queues for a simple loaf of bread.

It’s not just the older Czechs; I recently met a young Czech who expressed concern that his compatriots no longer exhibit the same level of concern for their country. When pressed for an example, he cited dwindling attendance at protests, suggesting that people are no longer motivated to participate. I disagreed with this viewpoint for two reasons. Firstly, there are some highly inspiring demonstrations taking place, such as the Million Moments For Democracy campaign, which has witnessed some of the largest gatherings since 1989. Secondly, people were more inclined to protest frequently in the past due to dire circumstances. The reason for today’s decline in demonstrations is that the overall quality of life has improved— an aspect that I view positively.

Our spontaneous conversation about Czech apathy unfolded in a classic pub setting, where individuals had gathered around a guitar to sing age-old Czech songs. Observing the scene, the young Czech sighed wistfully, remarking, “You don’t see this much these days. It’s fading away. Soon, Czech culture will be lost forever.”

He was correct, such scenes might fade away, but I don’t perceive it as a death. We cannot halt time in the pursuit of preserving culture; that’s the role of museums. Culture is dynamic and continually evolving — hence, those who claim British culture is being wiped out are wrong. Centuries ago we had Shakespeare, and today we have J.K. Rowling; these two are not mutually exclusive — new chapters emerge, and cultures undergo transformation.

In Mongolia, a rock band calleded the Hu has amassed 45 million YouTube views by seamlessly merging Eastern and Western influences. Through the incorporation of traditional instruments, they’ve forged a novel musical landscape that precisely embodies my vision for the future of diverse cultures: dynamic, forward-thinking, and embracing the future without neglecting or idealizing the past.

Whilst grappling with the idea of ‘culture’ I came across this definition: “Culture can be seen as the growth of a group identity fostered by social patterns unique to the group.”

Reflecting on this definition in connection with the concepts I’ve explored, I find myself growing uneasy. I’m concerned that if we persist in our current trajectory, the culture in both Britain and the Czech Republic will be characterized by exclusion and a cautious attitude towards other cultures. Regardless of whether you identify as British or Czech, is this truly the kind of culture you want to embrace?

The ultimate downfall of capitalist Western Liberalism lies in the widespread belief that it could singlehandedly solve all problems – a misconception, as no system is inherently flawless or godlike. Instead of abandoning openness entirely, let’s acknowledge the progress that liberalism has achieved. By acknowledging the positive strides we’ve made and addressing areas that require improvement, maybe things can get even better.