Why were Europeans more likely than Americans to take refuge in the possibility of a strong state that is able to produce some sort of of utopia? In my mind, Communism and Fascism both represented Europeans widespread beliefs that their governments could repair the damage which in many cases was caused by their governments, especially after World War I.
Many states gave liberalism a shot, but especially in Eastern Europe liberalism never really took hold. Czechoslovakia may have come the closest to a liberal democratic government during the interwar period in Eastern Europe, which is the reason for their first President being honored in my avatar, but even there persisted strong tendencies toward ethno-nationalism and socialism. The belief in a strong state in Europe prevails to this day, although today it looks less utopian, more practical.