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How Europe changed

How Europe changed. http://www.ena.lu/. European Integration. What is integration? Economic Political What is the European Community/Union? A federation in the making A type of macro-regional regime or better international governance . Factors in European Integration.

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How Europe changed

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  1. How Europe changed http://www.ena.lu/

  2. European Integration • What is integration? • Economic • Political • What is the European Community/Union? • A federation in the making • A type of macro-regional regime or better international governance

  3. Factors in European Integration • Solving French-German problem • Different domestic calculations both economic and political • Role of ‘crisis’

  4. History of the European Community/Union • No linear, teleological, unfolding • Deep historical roots, but concrete results only after 1945 • Ideological, political, and economic factors have all played a role • International influences (role of US and USSR) • Continuous process but with phases of stagnation and acceleration

  5. History • Ideological • From the Resistance movement to the Hague Conference • Economic: • 1944-48 Benelux Custom Union through OEEC, to economic union • Political • From Common Assembly to European Parliament

  6. Enlargement • 1951: France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg • 1973: UK, Denmark, Ireland (case of Norway) • 1981: Greece • 1986: Spain and Portugal • 1995: Austria, Finland, Sweden (case of Norway) • 2005: Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Malta, Cyprus, Slovenia • 2007: Bulgaria, Romania • Waiting: Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia, Albania, Montenegro; • Problems of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo • Turkey

  7. The collapse of the Soviet Union • From below: 1974 Helsinki conference • Regime loss of legitimacy due to poor economic performance (low productivity) • From outside: Reagan and the new Cold War • Defense spending outpacing economic growth • From above: Gorbachev (1985) • Perestroika and glasnost • Constitutional reform – power from Communist party to ‘national’ governments - collapse of the system

  8. The collapse of the Soviet Union • June 1991: Attempts to retain at least a confederation • August 1991: The failed coup and Gorbachev resignation on Dec. 25 1991 • Re-emergence of Russia (?)

  9. Eastern Europe • Economic reforms and political reforms • Nationalist coalitions which eventually splinter • Peaceful vs. less peaceful (Romania) transitions. • How to explain them? • The reunification of Germany

  10. The disintegration of Yugoslavia • Decentralization • Nationalist revival • The ‘Arlecchino’ country • 1991: Slovenia and Croatia • 1992-95: The quagmire of Bosnia-Herzegovia • 1998-99: Kosovo, the war against Yugoslavia (Serbia-Montenegro) and Independence • 2000-2001 Macedonia

  11. Europe in the world • Beginning of the century and up to WWII: colonies, power politics • Post-World War II: soft power, liberal internationalism (constructive dialogue, slow elaboration of common values and legal principles and norms) • Exception (colonial disentanglement, Suez, Falklands) • An economic giant and a political pygmy?

  12. Europe as a laboratory • The evolution of the concept and practice of sovereignty and nation/state • Europe as a post-modern space? • What will Europe be at the end of the first century of the third millennium?

  13. Emerging cleavages Immigration, multiculturalism & Euro-skepticism

  14. Final Exam: Saturday, April 12th 3:00-5:00 p.m. ED1014

  15. Parties and Policy in the 1980s & 1990s • Mainstream right: • Bolstered by Thatcher in the UK, • Realization, for some, that state cannot & should not do everything • Manifest in • Privatization of nationalized industries in the UK & elsewhere • Trimming of social protection, welfare state programs

  16. Social Democracy: Toward a ‘Third Way’? • Britain: New Labour rather than Labour • Tony Blair re-brands the party, brings it back to power • Differences • More market and less state – e.g. public-private partnerships • Accepts Thatcher reforms in many areas • Maintain welfare state, but willing to target aid • vs. previous commitment to universal benefits • Tougher administration of justice • Emphasis on spin and presentation • Germany, • SPD under Gerhard Schroeder follows similar course • Netherlands: • Social Democrats abandon polarization • Return to cabinet, • First with Christian Democrats • Then with Liberals and Democrats 66: ‘Purple coalition, in office from 1994-2002, reconciles historic rivals

  17. Elsewhere on the left • Diminishing appeal of Communism in France • Weakening of Communism in Italy • PCI re-baptized Democratic Left in 1991 • Green and left-libertarian parties: • Greens (Germany) start out as anti-establishment party with roots in student movements, Young Socialists (JUSOs) • Ongoing arguments between ‘realos’ and `fundos’ • Entry in to laender (provincial governments in 1990s • Coalition with SPD from 1998-2005 • PDS in Germany

  18. State and economy • Despite Thatcherism, social protections retained, sometimes in moderate form • Less public ownership • But, at best incomplete withdrawal of states from economic life • Germany maintains social market economy& ‘Rhineland’ model of capitalism: cooperation among economic interests • Swedish model persists, albeit with less cooperation between capital and labour

  19. The New Right • Emergence & success in several countries: • Front Nationale (FN) in France • Lega Nord (LN) in Italy • Freedom Party (FPÖ) in Austria • Danish People’s Party • Flemish Block (Belgium) • List Pim Fortuyn (LPF) & Freedom Party (PVV) in the Netherlands • Comparative weakness in Germany • NPD • Republikkaner

  20. New Right Parties • Populist • Leader-centred • Common features: Anti parties • anti-EU • anti-immigrant • anti-establishment • Positions not always internally consistent • Tend to be anti-state, pro market • But sometimes protectionist

  21. Explaining the New Right • Weakening hold of established parties: • Difficulties maintaining or re-establishing electorates of belonging – loyal supporters • Ability of capitalize on disgruntlement, sense that things are not quite right • Use of local issues – e.g. Lega & anti-southern sentiment • Use of the media

  22. Euro-skepticism • Stronger in some countries than others • UK • Denmark • EU & Europe as an elite project, about which voters were not consulted • Enlargement • EURO • Constitution • Dutch and French referenda as example • Desire to ensure local (member-state) control

  23. Anti-immigrant sentiment • Immigration & migration largely unplanned or not fully thought through • Growing concentrations, especially in larger centres • Incomplete integration and assimilation • Marginal economic position – insufficient employment or opportunities • Differences in values – caught between two worlds • Incomplete acceptance by host populations

  24. Anti-establishment sentiment Elites seen as • Out of touch • In collusion – parties the same • Not coping with real problems Examples: • Austria: reaction against proporz & power-sharing • Netherlands: • Saga of Pim Fortuyn • Geert Wilders and the Freedom Party

  25. Bottom-line • Party systems more fragmented than before: • New competitors on the left • former E. German Communists, now the Left Party • A new Socialist Party (SP) in the Netherlands • New right • Party strengths fluctuate • Sometimes hurt by government participation • Yet no return to the instability of the interwar period

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