Christian Democratic Europe

The Concept of European

Integration as an Alternative
to Nationalism & Stalinism
Coordinators: Mr. Jora Lucian & Pop Cosmin-Adrian

Course: European Construction

Academic Year: 2011-2012

2
nd
Semester

Students: Tsakmakidou Ourania-Anna
Stance Amalia
Christian Democracy
Political ideology seeking to apply Christian
principles to public policy

Emerged: end of 19
th
century Europe

Influenced by conservatism & Catholic social
teaching

Influential in Europe & Latin America

In a number of countries its Christian ethos has
been diluted by secularization.

In practice, is often considered conservative on
cultural, social & moral issues (social conservatism)

Advocates a social market economy in the economic
field (crossing over with social democratic
economics but based on the family)

In Europe Christian democratic parties are
moderately conservative overall, whereas in the very
different cultural and political environment of Latin
America they tend to lean to the left.

Examples: German Christian Democratic Union
(CDU), the Christian Democrat Party of Chile, the
Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland,
the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) in The
Netherlands, and the historical Christian Democracy
in Italy
Comparison with other ideologies
Christian democracy is a fusion of elements common
to several political ideologies:

In common with conservatism, traditional moral
values (on marriage, abortion, etc.), opposition to
secularization, a view of the evolutionary (as
opposed to revolutionary) development of society,
an emphasis on law and order, and a rejection of
communism.

In contrast to conservatism, open to change (for
example, in the structure of society) and not
necessarily supportive of the social status quo.

In common with liberalism, an emphasis on
human rights and individual initiative.


In contrast to liberalism, a rejection of
secularism, and an emphasis on the fact that the
individual is part of a community and has duties
towards it.

In common with socialism, an emphasis on the
community, social solidarity, support for a
welfare state, and support for some regulation of
market forces.

In contrast to socialism, most European
Christian Democrats support a market economy
and do not adhere to the doctrine of class
struggle.

Brief History
Largely as result of the papal encyclical Rerum Novarum of Pope Leo XIII,
in which the Vatican recognized workers' misery and agreed that something
should be done about it, in reaction to the rise of the socialist and trade
union movements

Evolved considerably since then, and it is no longer the Catholic ideology of
Distributism, although it is based on Catholic social teaching

Following World War II, Christian democracy was seen as a neutral and
unifying voice of compassionate conservatism, and distinguished itself from
the far right. It gave a voice to 'conservatives of the heart', particularly in
Germany, who had detested Adolf Hitler's regime yet agreed with the right
on many issues.

It has been adopted by many Protestant and Eastern Orthodox Christians

Philosophical roots traced back to Thomas Aquinas and his thoughts about
Aristotelian ontology and the Christian tradition

Modern important authors: Emmanuel Mounier, tienne Gilson & Jacques
Maritain
Christian democracy in Europe

Christian democracy has been especially important in the politics of Italy (inspired by Luigi
Sturzo)

Norway Christian Democratic Party of Norway

Germany Christian Democratic Union & Christian Social Union in Bavaria

Austria (Austrian People's Party)

Belgium (Christene Volkspartij, Christian Democratic and Flemish & Humanist
Democratic Centre)

Finland (Christian Democrats (Finland))

France

Ireland ( Fine Gael)

Luxembourg

Malta

The Netherlands (Christian Democratic Appeal)


Portugal (Democratic and Social Centre People's Party)

Poland (Civic Platform & Polish Peasants' Party)

Ukraine (Christian Democratic Union (Ukraine))

Spain (Partido Popular, Democratic Union of Catalonia) &

Sweden (Christian Democrats (Sweden))

Christian democracy is not very strong in the United Kingdom
where the Conservative Party dominates conservative politics &
does not advocate Christian democratic platforms but Christian
democratic parties do exist. The Christian Peoples Alliance, The
Common Good (political party), the Christian Party (UK) and the
Christian Democratic Party (UK) are the 4 Christian democratic
parties currently in the UK.

The Nationalist Party of Malta is a Christian democratic party and
has won seven out of ten general elections since Malta's
independence in 1964. Currently governing, it has won its third
consecutive general election in 2008. It advocates staunch Christian
values including bans on abortion and divorce.

A series of posters from the Italian Christian Democracy
1.The Concept of European Integration as
an alternative to Nationalism & Stalinism

1.1 European Integration
Process of industrial, political, legal, economic (& in some
cases social & cultural) integration of states wholly or partially
in Europe. European integration has primarily come about
through the European Union and the Council of Europe.

Count Richard Nikolaus von Coudenhove-Kalergi : One of the
1
st
to conceive of a union of European nations

Aristide Briand: Gave a speech in favour of a European Union
in the League of Nations on 8 September 1929

At the end of World War II, the continental political climate
favored unity in Western Europe, seen by many as an escape
from the extreme forms of nationalism which had devastated
the continent.

In a speech delivered on 19 September 1946 at the University
of Zrich, Switzerland, Winston Churchill postulated a United
States of Europe.
Council of Europe
Strasbourg in 1949

Against the background of the devastation and human
suffering during the Second World War as well as the need for
reconciliation after the war

Most important achievement: European Convention on
Human Rights of 1950 with its European Court of Human
Rights in Strasbourg, which serves as a de facto supreme
court for human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout
Europe. Human rights are also protected by the Council of
Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture and the
European Social Charter.

Most conventions of the Council of Europe pursue the aim of
greater legal integration, such as the conventions on legal
assistance, against corruption, against money laundering,
against doping in sport, or internet crime.



Organization for Security and
Co-operation in Europe

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in
Europe (OSCE) is a trans-Atlantic
intergovernmental organisation whose aim is to
secure stability in Europe.

Politico-Military Dimension, the Economic and
Environmental Dimension and the Human
Dimension. These respectively promote (i)
mechanisms for conflict prevention and resolution;
(ii) the monitoring, alerting and assistance in case of
economic and environmental threats; and (iii) full
respect for human rights and fundamental
freedoms.
Regional integration

Several Regional integration efforts have
effectively promoted intergovernmental
cooperation and reduced the possibility of
regional armed conflict. Other initiatives have
removed barriers to free trade in European
regions, and increased the free movement of
people, labor, goods, and capital across national
borders.

Baltic region, Low Countries region, Black Sea
region, British Isles, Central Europe, Nordic
region






European Free Trade Association

E.F.T.A. is a European trade bloc which was
established on 3 May 1960 as an alternative for
European states who didn't join the EEC

Economic Integration
Operation of a single economic market

Uses a single currency


Social and Political Integration
Education
ERASMUS programme (European Region
Action Scheme for the Mobility of University
Students) Encouragement & support of the
free movement of the academic community.
Established 1987

Aims to integrate education systems in Europe.
Thus, degrees and study periods are recognized
mutually
Health
European Health Insurance Card (or EHIC):
Issued free of charge
Allows anyone insured by or covered by a
statutory social security scheme of the EEA
countries & Switzerland to receive medical
treatment in another member state for free or at
a reduced cost, if that treatment becomes
necessary during their visit (e.g., due to illness or
an accident), or if they have a chronic pre-
existing condition which requires care.
Right to vote - by the 1992 Maastricht Treaty

Visa Policy in the E.U. - visa-free regime
agreements with some European countries
outside EU and discussing such agreements with
others; Russia,

Ukraine & Moldova

Schengen zone - Abolition of physical borders
among European countries

Conclusions
Communism fell whereas nationalism still exists in
many forms.

Manifestations of nationalism include Austria of
Jorg Haider & Jean-Marie Le Pens discourses in
France.

All in all, the vision of a unified Europe, was and
still remains only an ideal, as we can easily detect
many gaps (leftovers of nationalist principles)
standing against its complete implementation.

The Stalinism regime as well as nationalism implied
a high degree of centralization and totalitarianism
compared to the theoretical frame of action of the
European Union.
Bibliography
New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia an article
on Christian Democracy
Christian Democracy in Western Europe: 1820-
1953 a book by Michael Fogarty
Conservativism and Christian Democracy an
essay by UK Conservative MP David Willetts
The Commoner a Christian Democratic blog
Christian Democratic Union (USA)


^ A. Heywood, Political ideologies. An introduction, New York, Macmillan,
2003, 89
^ Tad Szulc, 'Communists, Socialists and Christian Democrats', Annals of
the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 360, pp. 99-109, p.
102
^ Roberts and Hogwood, European Politics Today, Manchester University
Press, 1997
^ Moos, M. (1945) 'Don Luigi Sturzo Christian Democrat', American
Political Science Review, 39(2), pp. 269-292, p. 269
^ Sturzo, L. (1947) The Philosophic Background of Christian Democracy,
The Review of Politics, 9(1), pp. 3-15, p. 5
^ 'Its official DLP wins Vic Senate seat', Australian Conservative,
http://australianconservative.com/2010/09/its-official-%E2%80%93-dlp-
wins-vic-senate-seat/
^ Hale, William (2005). "Christian Democracy and the AKP: Parallels and
Contrasts". Turkish Studies 6 (2): 293310.
doi:10.1080/14683840500119601.
^ "The GOP's Time for Choosing, Henry Olsen, The Wall Street Journal,
January 6, 2008
Kalyvas, Stathis N. and Kees van Kersbergen (2010). Christian Democracy.
Annual Review of Political Science 2010. 13:183209.
Voyage au coeur de l Europe 1953-2009, Histoire du group democrat
chretien et du parti populaire europeene au parlament europeene, Pascal
Fontaine, Editions Racine

Thank you for your attention!