The Open Society and Its Enemies

Regarded as one of the most significant books of the twentieth century, Karl Popper's *The Open Society and Its Enemies* staunchly defends liberal democracy while critically examining the intellectual roots of totalitarianism. Born in 1902 into a Jewish family in Vienna, Popper taught in Austria until 1937. Anticipating the Nazi annexation of Austria in the following year, he emigrated to New Zealand and eventually settled in England in 1949. Prior to the annexation, Popper's primary focus was on the philosophy of science. However, from 1938 until the conclusion of World War II, he redirected his efforts towards political philosophy, aiming to uncover the intellectual foundations of German and Soviet totalitarianism. This culminated in the creation of *The Open Society and Its Enemies*.