Our conversation partner this week is Atanas Politov—Europe Director of Positive Impact at Dentons—whose path from civil society to the corporate legal world has only sharpened his conviction that values transcend sectors. Reflecting on everything from the fading spirit of post-accession regional exchange in Eastern Europe to the quiet dangers of “anticipatory obedience”, Politov makes a compelling case for rebuilding civic space through everyday participation—and for treating democracy as something we do, not something we inherit.
Tell us one story from your career that taught you a valuable lesson.
When I joined Dentons almost nine years ago, I made a jump in my career from the non-for-profit to the corporate world. Although at Dentons I was back to the world of lawyers where I started, it was also my first time to work in the corporate world of money making. Naturally, I had my trepidations and anxieties. What I learned though quickly, is that being professional and standing for your values takes you far anywhere in the world. Dividing societies and communities into corporate and non-for-profit, and putting the work we do into silos like “the third sector” feels artificial and in my opinion belongs to the thinking and divisions of the previous century. We are all in this together and everyone plays his part in social and community endeavors. In that respect, lawyers play a crucial role in social interaction and social cohesion, and I am glad I am able to prove that through my work.
What is a key marker about where things are going right now in Eastern Europe that is overlooked and we need to pay closer attention to? What would be a signal for good development – and for things going really badly?
The EU accession brought certain divisions which we need to overcome with active regional dialogue via events, projects and academic and intellectual exchange. In the previous period – the 90s and early 21st century – there was a very conscious and proactive exchange which has been missing in my opinion in the past 15 years. I can go as far as saying that we all got a bit lazy on that front while focusing our efforts either on one country (and often even on one city, usually the capital city) or spent extra efforts and energy on the EU level of interactions. Our common history, culture and geopolitical situation should be a platform for deeper and more systematic approach and learning.
Through the lens of your line of work, what is one significant but under-discussed trend affecting democracy globally today?
There are two aspects of my answer. The first is simple – civic engagement. It has been said many times, but democracy is not voting once in four years. Democracy is a reflection. Democracy is being an active citizen. And we should never forget that at the very core of our democracy is and always should be the protection of human rights. I believe that there are a lot of people who are itching to be more active, who are ready to be engaged and who are not part of any specific civic organization or network. The second aspect of my answer is “build it and they will come”. If we build wide-ranging and varied platforms and opportunities for civic engagement people will join, connect – and they will make a difference.
Who is the one expert/agent/thinker you would recommend people follow closely in order to understand the world better right now and why?
Timothy Snyder. His recent books on tyranny and on freedom are a crucial reminder for all of us. One concept I find very important to understand and study is what he calls “anticipatory obedience” or what I used to call self-censorship. “On Tyranny” starts with the line: “Do not obey in advance”. Snyder calls anticipatory obedience a political tragedy as citizens (and institutions) show willingness to compromise their values or principles without or before being asked. Since I grew up in a totalitarian, communist regime in Bulgaria before 1989, this resonates with me deeply.
Atanas Politov is Dentons’ Europe Director of Positive Impact, based in the firm’s Budapest office. He joined the firm in September 2016 to coordinate Dentons’ pro bono work across continental Europe. Atanas was also heading Dentons Europe Diversity & Inclusion and Women’s Advancement programs. Before joining Dentons, Atanas was PILnet’s Director for Programs and was responsible for managing PILnet’s pro bono and access to justice efforts. Previously, he developed large-scale anti-discrimination and legal aid reform projects in Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans and oversaw the development of PILnet’s pro bono efforts in China, Hungary, Russia, Italy, Germany, Spain, Poland, and globally.
