University of Thessaly
Department of Planning and Regional Development
Graduate Program in European Regional Development Studies
Fall Semester, 2011-12
Course:
The Geography of European Integration: Economy, Society and
Institutions
Lecturers: Petrakos G., Camhis M., Kotios A.,Topaloglou L., Tsipouri L.,
Bogiazides N.
Presentation 5:
Wherefore Europe
Nick Bogiazides
European Politics
Grand politico-ideological movements in postwar Europe
East-West divide
Between divergence and convergence
the anti-colonial movement
the role of the market
the UN
disarmament and the Helsinki process
European Politics
In the East
Soviet model and its discontents (4 major
rebellions against it
Yugoslavia-style federalism
Romania-style dictatorship
Hungary and Czechoslovakia-style market
entryism
European Politics
In the West, until 1980
Centre-right Keynesianism – (saving private
capital)
Social-democratic Keynesianism – establishing
and expanding the welfare state
European Politics
In the West, until 1980
On the left
Eurocommunism
Old style stalinism
Trotskyism Maoism (May ’68, anti-colonial
movement, anti-Vietnam war movement)
European Politics
In the West, post 1980
Thatcherite liberalism
‘rolling back the frontiers of the state’ at an
ideological, yet not practical, level
Partial dismantling of the welfare state
Weakening of the trade union movement
Americanisation of European politics
Whither Europe?
Wither the nation state?
Whither Europe?
Wither the nation state?
The double transfer of sovereignty,
up to the European Union (federal, supranational level),
down to the regions (local, sub-national
level)
The nation state, a 19th century invention, both
too small and too big for the 21st century
Whither Europe?
Wither the nation state?
Two interpretative paradigms:
Stanley Hoffman,
The European Sisyphus: Essays on Europe
(1964-1994), Westview Press (1995), and
The New European Community:
Decisionmaking and Institutional Change
(co-edited with R. O. Keohane), Westview
Press (1991)
Whither Europe?
Wither the nation state?
Two interpretative paradigms:
Stanley Hoffman,
The European Sisyphus: Essays on Europe
(1964-1994), Westview Press (1995), and
The New European Community: Decisionmaking and Institutional Change (co-edited
with R. O. Keohane), Westview Press (1991)
[functionalist approach]
Whither Europe?
Wither the nation state?
Growth, rather than weakening, of nation-state
bureaucracies, broadening of state
intervention in a variety of new fields.
Extension of supervisory and control
mechanisms at national level
If only, in order to defend and promote
effectively national interest in the
labyrinthine maze of EU bureaucracy
Whither Europe?
Wither the nation state?
Yet, though inflated, such nation-state
government constructs are relegated to the
level of administrative machine
Shift from
government to administration
autorité de prince to autorité de gestion
Regierung to Verwaltung
Whither Europe?
Wither the nation state?
Second interpretative paradigm:
Cynthia Cockburn
The Local State: Management of Cities and
People, Pluto Press (1977)
Whither Europe?
Wither the nation state?
Second interpretative paradigm:
Cynthia Cockburn
The Local State: Management of Cities and
People, Pluto Press (1977)
[structuralist approach]
Whither Europe?
Wither the nation state?
The central state is responsible [assumes
primary responsibility] for guaranteeing the
conditions of the reproduction of capital and
productive processes, while
The local state is responsible [assumes primary
responsibility] for guaranteeing the
conditions of the reproduction of labour and
consumption processes
European Politics
Wherefore European Politics
Institutional convergence or divergence?
A federation without a nation?
Is a citizens' Europe feasible or will state
building yet again subsume human
emancipation into a new national state
construct, with a raison d' etat diverging or
opposing an illusive etat de raison?