George Soros on Karl Popper

George Soros considers philosopher Karl Popper to be his primary intellectual influence, a connection that began when Soros studied at the London School of Economics. Soros was deeply impacted by Popper's work, particularly The Open Society and Its Enemies, which provided the philosophical foundation for his commitment to advancing open societies. The name of his philanthropic network, the Open Society Foundations, directly reflects Popper's concept, which argues against ideologies that claim a monopoly on truth and advocates for democratic governance, freedom of expression, and individual rights.

Although Soros adopted Popper's core concept, his application evolved to address new challenges facing open societies after the Cold War, such as the threat of unregulated capitalism and market fundamentalism, which he saw as the modern enemy in contrast to Popper's focus on totalitarianism. Soros acknowledged that while Popper provided the critical framework, the modern open society required a reformulation to be a more viable ideal for contemporary political action.