Extract

Since 1945, the most widespread and arguably most influential political party in the world has been the Christian Democrats (CDs). The party has governed separately or as part of coalitions in Germany, Italy, France, Ireland, and many important Latin American nations and is credited with transitioning Europe to democracy, facilitating European integration and developing the modern social welfare state.

Unfortunately, the extent of the published literature on Christian Democracy is very limited, particularly when compared to its rival political philosophy, Social Democracy. In addition to the dearth of scholarly research, much of what is published is country specific or dated. This lack of information is surprising given the historical and political importance of this international phenomenon.

The good news is that Carlo Invernizzi Accetti, who is an associate professor of political science at the City University of New York (City College), addresses a number of these limitations with What is Christian Democracy? His book probes beyond the traditional nation-state case studies, focusing instead on larger transnational issues pertaining to the political movement.

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