LIBERALISMUL ROMÂNESC, NAȚIONAL ȘI EUROPEAN (1821-1918)

Abstract

The study emphasizes the intricate conceptual and political route taken by liberalism in Romania, in the light of the European liberalism, as well extremely complex, in theoretical, historical and political terms during the period 1821-1918. After a discussion associated to the periodization of the Romanian liberalism, the author investigates the transformations of Romanian liberalism against the relation between national and liberal characteristics and also in terms of national and European dimensions. Romanian liberalism is oriented toward modernization and the constitution of a modern, national and unitary Romanian state; it follows for the most part a French model, although there are interpreters and theoreticians who address characteristics of Romanian liberalism, which are closer to the British model of liberalism. Thus, in Romania, the nationalism of the Romanian liberalism presents a multi-dimensional stratification: while Romanian liberalism answers theoretically, politically and pragmatically to Romanian historical realities, it addresses the median voter (introduced much later in political science by Arrow) and its national political capital, yet it remains European in terms of theoretical resources and political aims. At the same time, Romanian liberalism has not only a theoretical, but also an ideal dimension as it is constantly oriented toward the national spiritual and patriotic requirements, which was not disimilar to the European orientation of Latin liberalism.

Keywords

• Romanian liberalism
• French model
• British model
• modernization