Christian democracy, political movement that has a close association with Roman Catholicism and its philosophy of social and economic justice. It incorporates both traditional church and family values and progressive values such as social welfare. For this reason, Christian democracy does not fit squarely in the ideological categories of left and right. It rejects the individualist worldview that underlies both political liberalism and laissez-faire economics, and it recognizes the need for the state to intervene in the economy to support communities and defend human dignity. Yet Christian democracy, in opposition to socialism, defends private property and resists excessive intervention of the state in social life and education. While Christian democracy found its inspiration and base of support in Christianity, its parties operated autonomously from ecclesiastical organizations and often welcomed the support of agnostics or atheists. Many Christian democratic parties have adopted over time a more secular discourse, privileging pragmatic policies over overtly religious themes.
After World War II, a number of Christian democratic parties appeared in Europe, including the Italian Christian Democratic Party (later the Italian Popular Party), the French Popular Republican Movement, and the German Christian Democratic Union, which became the most successful. Christian democratic parties were a major political force during the Cold War and led coalition governments in Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, Austria, and the Netherlands. The same period also saw the appearance of Christian democratic parties in Latin America. Though most were small splinter groups, Christian democrats eventually achieved power in Venezuela, El Salvador, and Chile. After the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the U.S.S.R., Christian democratic parties made electoral strides in central and eastern Europe.