On the Encyclopedia:
‘The Encyclopedia of Political Thought is the most comprehensive and rigorous treatment of significant political thinkers, political theories, concepts, ideas, and schools of thought.
* Examines the history of political thought from antiquity to contemporary political theory and political philosophy
* Reflects diverse traditions in the evolution of political theory and political science
* Addresses the theorists, their key theories and methods from within the western canon and from non-western perspectives
* Offers over 900 entries including shorter definitions and biographies as well as extended treatments of major topics from over 700 contributors from around the world.
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Abstract of the entry:
‘The origins of Christian democracy as an international political movement go back to the second half of the nineteenth century, when a number of (predominantly) Catholic confessional parties were founded in Europe. Generally speaking, these parties were opposed to liberal democracy as it had developed until then. Later on, in particular the tradition of modern Catholic social teaching, with the encyclicals Rerum Novarum (1891) and Quadragesimo Anno (1931) as milestones, has been an ideological influence. Yet, by organizing themselves into confessional parties, lay Catholics paradoxically also succeeded in achieving increasing independence vis-à-vis their church.’
See for more information: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9781118474396.wbept0139/abstract.
See also:
Canon of Dutch Christian Democracy now also available in English
