La hora de España

We live in a constantly changing world. The sum of a series of technological, social and economic revolutions has made us aware of our fragility. Among the rational, egalitarian and universal principles of the Enlightenment and liberalism, the irrationality of tribalism has crept in: nationalisms, the exclusive conception of women, victimhood. In this context, the reflection that runs through these pages is urgent, a reflection on Spain and the Spanish. To reach their full potential as individuals, the struggle must continue to be based on institutions, laws, and rational individual interest. That is the horizon illustrated by excellence, and the mechanism that more and better results in the progress of humanity. During the last century, after a long and difficult journey, these instruments reached a universal vocation. Today the world is more closed, it has been confined, and we no longer take endless progress for granted. We are simply battling not to sink. Our country is at that crossroads. This is not a melancholic or self-absorbed book. It approaches collective failures as a lesson to learn from to build an engaging project. With a range of disparate voices, ranging from the most illustrious veterans to young people of unusual scholarship, and from political allegation to academic reflection, The Hour of Spain is a strong defense of conservatively leaning liberalism. But also a roadmap that will return to society the resources to bring out the best in individuals, ward off populist siren songs and rebuild a country that needs to reinterpret the old, strong ideas that did it better.