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Anti-Liberalism and the Liberal Legacy in Postwar European Constitutionalism

Considerations on Some Case Studies

University of Bologna, paolo.pombeni{at}unibo.it

Was liberalism really an outdated ideology in post-1945 European political systems, as claimed by some scholars? The great success of socialism on one side and various forms of Christian Democracy on the other could make that claim appear reasonable. In fact a closer view shows how postwar constitutions in some countries (Italy, France and Germany) presented once again fundamental liberal values, reformulated in different words. One of the roots of that difference is the gap between the Anglo-Saxon approach to liberalism, which takes into account history and communities, and the continental tradition of liberalism, linked to an abstract philosophical approach and highly dependent on long-standing struggles between Churches and the body politic.

Key Words: communitarianism in Europe post-1945 • constitutionalism and social planning • European constitutionalism post-1945 • European liberalism post-1945 • individuals versus communities • political Catholicism and liberalism • socialism and liberalism

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