Institutions and the Consolidation of Democracy in Western Europe

Europe’s contemporary crisis has once more bought debates about democracy to the forefront of the continent’s political agenda.  Indeed, one reason the crisis has appeared so shocking to Europeans and outside observers alike is that for the second half of the twentieth century European politics was remarkably stable.  The reality, of course, is that this period was an historical anomaly.  During the nineteenth and first half of the twentieth century Europe was the most turbulent region on earth, convulsed by war, economic crises, and social and political conflict.  Yet after 1945 Western Europe became among the most stable, a study in democracy, social harmony, and prosperity.  How can we understand this remarkable transformation?  The answer lies in changes that occurred after 1945.