the concept of the social market economy… in the late 1940s
I feel like we’re glossing over important parts of 1800s European history, and it being the literal birthplace of Socialism and Anarchism as philosophies, to just go to the 1940s emergence of the postwar Western Europe economies. The backlash against Monarchism and mercantile economies saw a lot of support for all sorts of new forms of government in the 1800s, and various forms of Socialism were chief among them and incredibly well liked and influential among citizens.
That it took 2 world wars shattering the remaining vestiges of the mainland European monarchic powers (who were very anti-Socialist for obvious reasons), and allowed Socialist ideas about the responsibilities of government to its peoples to actually take hold at a government level, is a story about Monarchic influence clinging to power against the will of its people until being forced out, not about citizenry being anti-Socialist.
And yes, that reticence is very much a thing of the past now, and most Europeans are vocally proud of their social programs and their societies’ focuses on social welfare and community.
I feel like we’re glossing over important parts of 1800s European history, and it being the literal birthplace of Socialism and Anarchism as philosophies, to just go to the 1940s emergence of the postwar Western Europe economies. The backlash against Monarchism and mercantile economies saw a lot of support for all sorts of new forms of government in the 1800s, and various forms of Socialism were chief among them and incredibly well liked and influential among citizens.
That it took 2 world wars shattering the remaining vestiges of the mainland European monarchic powers (who were very anti-Socialist for obvious reasons), and allowed Socialist ideas about the responsibilities of government to its peoples to actually take hold at a government level, is a story about Monarchic influence clinging to power against the will of its people until being forced out, not about citizenry being anti-Socialist.
And yes, that reticence is very much a thing of the past now, and most Europeans are vocally proud of their social programs and their societies’ focuses on social welfare and community.