Christian democracy became the ideology of reconciliation and integration for European countries after World War II. Christian democratic leaders Konrad Adenauer, Robert Schuman, and Alcide de Gasperi not only laid the foundations for the economic prosperity of Germany, France, and Italy, but also became the founding fathers of the European Union. The universal values of Christian democracy raised postwar Europe from the ruins and became the foundation of a welfare state based on freedom, solidarity, and responsibility. This book tells the stories of Christian democratic examples of successes, successful and unsuccessful struggles to build a society of welfare, justice and values. The book is intended for a wide range of readers, politicians, political scientists, journalists, civic and religious activists, students, Christians, and anyone interested in the principles of building successful and socially oriented states.