The formation of European values

Abstract

We use the word ‘values’ to describe those beliefs or ideal mental images used to maintain social customs or habits of interest to us or to introduce new ones. If some habits or customs have become obsolete, the values that surrounded and sustained them will also fade away. This could happen in Europe’s future. Today, the works of M. Nabok and other scientists are devoted to this issue. Values tend to be studied on the small or medium scale, no more. Analyzing them on a continental or planetary scale is not free from imprecision or even error. To do so, we need to be reminded, first of all, of a few key features of the history of the concept of Europe and to see whether we have any basis (more than merely speculative, at least) for talking about inherently ‘European’ values.