> Say what you want about China's monoparty system, but it enables planning that spans decades.
That's not a trait of a monoparty system, or even any totalitarian autocratic system. There are democratic multiparty systems which have plans that spans decades, and autocratic totalitarian regimes that barely put together a coherent multi-year project.
I don't think this case has much to do with the mono party system but with the state taking interest to support a local industry at a loss but for future security.
Like for example the French government massively supported its aerospace and nuclear industry, and German government gave massive support to its legacy auto industry and they're not a mono party totalitarian system.
So it can be done even in democracies, but you need visionary leaders to spend money wisely on future industry bets and not just on buying votes from pensioners.
The big issue EU now has compared to the past when it kickstarted its nuclear and aerospace industry, is the massive burden of the welfare state that leaves little money for investments into other ventures, and boomers who are the largest beneficiaries of that welfare state, also account for the majority of the voter base, so the major EU economies France and Germany are stuck in a quagmire where the party who wins the elections is the one who goes more into debt for the welfare state.
It's easy to blame the welfare state but IMO the problem is the general culture of being extremely risk-averse beyond reason. Same reason why big US companies lose the ability to innovate. Europeans just hate doing things the new way even if it's better.
>Is Hungary a paragon of growth and strategic planning?
Kinda, yeah. Foreign investors love doing business with dictators due to guaranteed stability versus the political pendulum swinging every 4 years.
HEnce why more manufacturing is opening in Hungary.
BMW: Opened a new, fully electric vehicle plant in Debrecen in September 2025, with series production of the BMW iX3 starting in late October 2025.
Mercedes-Benz: Announced expansion of its Kecskemét plant to start producing the A-Class model in 2026, further solidifying its presence in Hungary where it already manufactures other models.
BYD: The Chinese EV maker is building its first European production facility in Szeged, with operations set to begin by the end of 2025 or early 2026. The €4 billion plant will initially produce tens of thousands of vehicles annually, focusing on EVs for the European market.
CATL: The world's largest battery manufacturer is constructing a massive plant in Debrecen, expected to start production in early 2026. This supports Hungary's EV ecosystem, supplying batteries to automakers like BMW.
Flex (Flextronics): Inaugurated a new high-tech "NextGen" plant in Zalaegerszeg in November 2025, worth 35 billion HUF (about €90 million). It focuses on electronics and components for the automotive industry, creating 210 jobs in research and production.
That's not a trait of a monoparty system, or even any totalitarian autocratic system. There are democratic multiparty systems which have plans that spans decades, and autocratic totalitarian regimes that barely put together a coherent multi-year project.