One of Europe's leading intellectuals here presents a short book the importance of which cannot be measured by its size, for he sets out to speak of Europe as an adventure of decisive significance for the whole of mankind. De Rougemont begins with three statements: 1. Europeans discovered the whole of the earth: nobody ever came and discovered Europe. 2. Europe has held sway on all the continents in succession, and up till now has never been ruled by any foreign power. 3. Europe has produced a civilization which is being imitated by the whole world, while the converse has never happened. De Rougemont defines the essence of the genius of the West, Europe's, true present strengths, the secrets of her vitality, the role she has yet to fulfill.
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Memory of the World Librarian: Quintus

Contents 7
Foreword 9
1. The Worldwide Adventure of the Europeans 11
The phenomenon of Europe defined by its effects 13
Destiny cannot stem from natural endowments 14
Notes on Chapter 1 31
2. The Secrets of Europe's Vitality 35
Is Europe's centrality an illusion? 37
The privileged hemisphere 39
Position and function of Europe 40
Bird's-eye view of Europe: Compartments 41
Bird's-eye view of Europe: density of human labour 42
The original town square 43
Morphology of Europe 44
The café and the Press 46
Church and choir 47
School initiation and initiative 48
The Market 49
Our history is made of pluralism and tensions 50
Sounding the organs of European society 51
Health of the Church 52
Health of Education 54
Health of Civic life 54
Prosperity of the market 55
...and of the press 55
Europe and culture 56
A crowded canvas 57
From the black age to the white age 58
Europe's way: continuity and innovation 58
A monument to the absurdity of history 59
Notes on Chapter 2 60
3. Europe Unites 63
From diversity to division 65
Three conceptions of union 66
Four themes of unity 68
Dante 70
Pierre DuBois 71
King George Podiebrad 72
Efforts to restore order 73
Emeric Cruce 74
Sully's "Grand Design" 75
Comenius 76
William Penn 76
The Abbe de Saint-Pierre 77
The Jacobins 77
Saint-Simon 78
Proudhon 81
Nietzsche versus nationalism 81
The European Movement 1924 82
Resistance in Europe 1944 83
The Hague Congress 1948 84
In just fifteen years 87
Notes on Chapter 3 88
4. Europe: What of the Future? 93
A new theme: the world 95
Decolonization and union 96
Decolonization and prosperity 97
Europe withdraws to her advantage 98
"Colonialism" 99
India without the British 100
Africa after the French 101
Lack of wise control 102
Europe the accused 103
The guilt of Europe 104
Need for a policy of civilization 105
Defeatism in Europe 105
"Europe between the two Great Powers" - A platitude 106
Where are the successors? 109
Europe responsible - in the active sense 110
Europe's worldwide vocation 111
1. To animate or quicken 111
2. Balance 112
3. Federate 113
A pattern for the world 114
Notes on Chapter 4 116
Appendix: Sartre versus Europe 119

2025-10-27