The British Occupation and the Making of Democracy in Italy and Germany, 1943–1949
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 8958236 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Camilo Erlichman (0000-0001-9067-0953, Maastricht University, corresponding author), Pepijn Corduwener (0009-0001-4954-774X, Utrecht University) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 67 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 538-560 |
| Publication date | 2024-02-02 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The Historical Journal (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0018-246X • E-ISSN: 1469-5103 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/s0018246x24000025 |
| OpenAlex | W4391475120 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 14 |
Over the past two decades, historians have become increasingly fascinated by the question of what enabled the emergence of a stable model of democracy in post-war Western Europe, characterized by the persistence of pre-war elites and top-down forms of decision-making. This article reveals the importance of the British occupations during and after the Second World War in fostering this model of democracy. It does so by comparing and weaving together British occupation strategies in Germany and Italy between 1943 and 1949. Based on a novel examination of archival sources, it demonstrates that British ruling strategies influenced the form of democracy that emerged in these two states. As such, the article reveals the centrality of ‘indirect rule’ practices and their multifaceted impact. Building on imperial precedents, the occupations were primarily run through pre-existing local elites who commanded authority and influence amongst the population. The article argues that this choice explains why the British produced, first, functioning occupation regimes and, subsequently, contributed to the emergence of remarkably stable democracies. At the same time, however, this ruling strategy aided the creation of political regimes that were elite-led and that strongly limited popular participation, leaving many democratic aspirations unfulfilled
Centrality · Democracy · Development economics · Economics · Elite · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Population · Sociology · Demography · European history and politics · Historical and Contemporary Political Dynamics · Italian Fascism and Post-war Society · Law
The Rise and Fall of the People's Parties
The Missing Italian Nuremberg
America and the Reconstruction of Italy, 1945–1948
The United States, Italy and the Origins of Cold War
Alien Rule
A History of Military Occupation from 1792 to 1914
Allies and Italians under Occupation
The Rise and Fall of Western Europe's Democratic Age, 1945–1973
Taking Off the Cold War Lens
Italy in the Cold War
Authoritarian Past and Democracy in Italy
| Unique citing works | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 2 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 2 |