Volunteering, Civic Commitment, and the Common Good in Post-Communist Romania: The Experience of the Kolping Movement

Abstract

This article analyzes the role of the Kolping Movement in Romania in the development of volunteering, civic engagement, and the principles of the common good economy during the post-communist period. The study highlights how Christian-inspired associations contributed to the reconstruction of civil society after 1989, in a context characterized by economic difficulties, a democratic deficit, and the underdevelopment of civic initiative. It analyzes the processes of democratic education, the voluntary engagement of leaders, the development of social economy structures, and the integration of Christian social principles into the activities of the Kolping Movement. The research emphasizes that volunteering and civic participation represented not only forms of mutual aid but also mechanisms for moral and social reconstruction. At the same time, the article argues that the Kolping model offers a relevant example of an economy oriented toward the common good, integrating human dignity, solidarity, and democratic participation into social and economic activity.

KEYWORDS: Volunteering, Civic Commitment, Common Good, Social Economy, Catholic Social Teaching, Kolping Movement, Civil Society, Post-Communism