Christian Democracy
A political ideology rooted in Catholic social teaching that combines social conservatism with support for a regulated market economy and European integration.
Explanation
Christian Democracy emerged as a major political force in Europe after World War II, particularly in Germany (CDU/CSU), Italy (Democrazia Cristiana), and France (MRP). It seeks to apply Christian — primarily Catholic — social principles to politics: solidarity, subsidiarity (governance at the lowest effective level), protection of the family, and dignity of the individual. Christian Democrats typically support a social market economy (capitalism tempered by welfare provisions and worker protections), European integration, and a political order shaped by religious values but not theocratic governance. German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer and Italian PM Alcide De Gasperi were foundational figures.
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