Catholic Labor Movements in Europe

"This scholarly book, which includes extensive multi-language bibliographical references, covers an important aspect of Catholic social teaching."—B.S. Exton, CHOICE

"Misner weaves together the history of Christian labor organizations across Continental Europe from 1914 through 1965 What makes this book truly shine is Misner's mapping of the shifts within the Church to wider social and cultural changes and his analysis of the place of the 1931 encyclical, Quadragesimo Anno, in labor history. Any academic library that supports curricula related to labor and/or religious history should include this book in its collection."—Paula S. Kiser, Catholic Library World

"Many have waited for this second volume the best single book in English covering it material M.'s is an important contribution to our knowledge and grasp of Catholic social and labor movements in Europe from 1914 through 1965. It is a scholar's book."—John Coleman, St Ignatius Parish, San Francisco, Theological Studies

"Scholars of twentieth-century Catholicism have long been awaiting this volume, the follow-up to the respected and essential Social Catholicism in Europe: From the Onset of Industrialization to the First World War (New York, 1991) the book is a success: no other volume brings together so many forms of twentieth-century Catholic activism into one analytical frame, and Misner is a sure-footed guide through complex terrain. This is clearly the work of a master historian who has spent many years pondering these issues, and Catholic Labor Movements in Europe is a worthy successor to Misner's earlier work. It will be indispensable to students of Catholic thought and politics in twentieth-century Europe."—James Chappel, Duke U, Journal of Modern History

"This is therefore a story which matters and one which he presents very effectively, in a series of largely chronological chapters which criss-cross the territories of the western half of Europe from the Low Countries, to Germany, France, Austria, and Italy. His approach is sympathetic, though certainly not uncritically so: he deomstrates the engagement of the more reactionary elements of Social Catholicism with the various authoritarian and corporastist projects of the 1930s and 1940s, but he emphasizes also how the ideas and institutions of Social Catholicism were predominantly a force for good, contributiong to processes of social emancipation, welfare provision, internationalism, and the achievement of an enhanced econmic and political democracy."—Conway, Martin, The Catholic historical Review