Liberalism in illiberal states: ideas and economic adjustment in contemporary Europe

After the end of the Cold War, liberalism emerged as the world's dominant political-economic ideology, and economic liberalism seemed to have achieved global hegemony. In this work, Mark Vail acknowledges the dominance of economic liberalism, but argues that its implementation in specific countries is always unique and dependent upon powerful historical factors. He focuses on France, Germany, and Italy-countries that many scholars do not view as 'liberal' at all-and contends they have in fact developed distinct forms of national liberalism, of which their postwar models of capitalism were merely one manifestation.

After the end of the Cold War, liberalism emerged as the world's dominant political-economic ideology, and economic liberalism seemed to have achieved global hegemony. In this work, Mark Vail acknowledges the dominance of economic liberalism, but argues that its implementation in specific countries is always unique and dependent upon powerful historical factors. He focuses on France, Germany, and Italy-countries that many scholars do not view as 'liberal' at all-and contends they have in fact developed distinct forms of national liberalism, of which their postwar models of capitalism were merely one manifestation.

Liberalism in Illiberal States acknowledges the dominance of economic liberalism, but argues that its implementation in specific countries is always unique and dependent upon powerful historical factors. This book focuses on France, Germany, and Italy-countries that many scholars do not view as "liberal" at all-and contends they have in fact developed distinct forms of national liberalism, of which their postwar models of capitalism were merely one manifestation.