Social Democracy in the Making: Political and Religious Roots of European Socialism

by Gary J. Dorrien

An expansive and ambitious intellectual history of democratic socialism from one of the world’s leading intellectual historians and social ethicists

The fallout from twenty years of neoliberal economic globalism has sparked a surge of interest in the old idea of democratic socialism—a democracy in which the people control the economy and government, no group dominates any other, and every citizen is free, equal, and included. With a focus on the intertwined legacies of Christian socialism and Social Democratic politics in Britain and Germany, this book traces the story of democratic socialism from its birth in the nineteenth century through the mid‑1960s.
 
Examining the tenets on which the movement was founded and how it adapted to different cultural, religious, and economic contexts from its beginnings through the social and political traumas of the twentieth century, Gary Dorrien reminds us that Christian socialism paved the way for all liberation theologies that make the struggles of oppressed peoples the subject of redemption. He argues for a decentralized economic democracy and anti-imperial internationalism.

Genres: Politics, History, Economics, Germany, Theology

578 pages, Hardcover

Published April 23, 2019

About the author

Gary John Dorrien is an American social ethicist and theologian. He is the Reinhold Niebuhr Professor of Social Ethics at Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York and Professor of Religion at Columbia University, both in New York City, and the author of 18 books on ethics, social theory, philosophy, theology, politics, and intellectual history.

Prior to joining the faculty at Union and Columbia in 2005, Dorrien taught at Kalamazoo College in Michigan, where he served as Parfet Distinguished Professor and as Dean of Stetson Chapel.

An Episcopal priest, he has taught as the Paul E. Raither Distinguished Scholar at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut and as Horace De Y. Lentz Visiting Professor at Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Reviews

[Justin Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very, very traditional intellectual history, with just enough context offered to explain the ideas. Happily, it's so well organized that you can skip the bits you don't care about, and its so thorough that you'll come out of it having learned plenty. The chapters are monstrously long, and the conclusion is baffling (why are we reading about Social Darwinism, again?), but the central point is clear: socialism is not and never has been a purely Marxist endeavor.

[Elliot · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful book on the history of social democracy in England and Germany, particularly in regards to it's connections (and even roots) in Christian movements at the time. The section on England, the Fabians, William Morris/Ruskin, and the rise of the Labour Party are particularly interesting and illustrative of the religious roots of English social democracy/labour politics. The section on Marx is helpful as well, though there are plenty of better books to read on Marx.

Read this all the way back in 2019 during my first year of grad school! Was one of the first books that helped me understand "social democracy" outside of liking Bernie Sanders ha.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

In some circles the term “socialism” is essentially not much different then the word “f**k” - it is about as offensive and upsetting to those who hear the word spoken. These “some circles” are pretty much all of the United States and, honestly, to speak of socialism positively in any way is probably more offensive then the aforementioned cuss word.

In the minds of a whole lot of people, there is no real difference between socialism and communism. Its all synonymous with Russian gulags and mass murder and economic destruction. Yet this simplistic equivocation does not stand up to the least bit of historical scrutiny, for in reality, socialism and socialist ideas are quite diverse. Even more surprising might be that there is a long tradition of Christian socialism as Christians, seeking to apply the teachings and principles of Jesus, believed that some form of democratic socialism was the best way to make these teachings a reality.

Dorrien’s book presents the roots and history of Social Democracy, focusing on England and Germany. This book is filled with names and organizations and history from the mid 1800s to the mid 1900s. Its not a quick or a fun read and I found myself skimming portions of it. I was more interested in the general ideas than in the details of every specific writer and thinker in the period. That said, the details demonstrate the point that socialism cannot be reduced to “Marxism” or “communism” or “bad” as it is often in popular level discussion.

For me, being more interested in theology than economics, Dorrien’s discussion of the theologians was more interesting than the economists. Thus I most enjoyed his analysis of FD Maurice, Barth, Tillich and William Temple. Along with this, growing up in America, we are simply taught (indoctrinated) from a young age that unfettered capitalism is the best way to have an economy. As Eugene McCarraher illustrates in his magnificent book The Enchantment of Mammon, we are enchanted by this way of seeing the world. Christian writers like James KA Smith would emphasize that we are discipled (to use a Christian term) and that capitalism itself is a liturgy (a worship) that forms us. We cannot imagine any different way of seeing the world. And when we already assume our consumer capitalist Christianity is the only right and good way, we easily lump any other way, such as social democracy, into the “evil” side of things. We don’t even realize how corrupted and syncretized our Christianity is by the capitalist gods. Dorrien’s book succeeds in showing that, not too long ago, there was a strong Christian tradition of social teaching (and there is today if we take time to see it).

In providing this detailed history, Dorrien’s book is a valuable contribution for Christians (such as myself) thinking through how Christianity relates to the public world and the realm of politics. It is not as engaging and exciting as McCarraher’s. If you are looking for a general summary of Christian social teaching (as I was) you might be disappointed (as I was, from time to time). But if you want a detailed history, which is essential, this book is for you. Even if you do not read every word and cannot remember every name, this book shows that reducing socialism to a mere cuss word is historically inaccurate and unhelpful.

[Ryan O'Malley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow that was a lot. First I’ll start with what I liked. I appreciated how the book showed the divergence of the democratic socialist movement and the socialist movement. I also appreciated the religious background of the socialist movement.

Now to what I didn’t like. It was way too much information. I felt like I read 200 biographies of different thinkers. There has to be a way to make it more succinct.

I recognize that I may have not given this book the time it deserves. Every reader weighs the time a book takes to what they will get out of it. I felt I was spending a lot of time getting bogged down in the nitty gritty details of different thinkers. That is not my type of story telling. I’m sure if you studied the book and took an immense time on it, there would be a lot more value.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Parts of this were fascinating and parts less so. The history of British socialism is of interest to me as I am a branch of that tree; the complicated German theological philosophy was just dry. But for a different reader the opposite will no doubt be true.

[Philip · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 - badly needed editing / structure.