Regionalism
LO1 – To explain the concept of regionalism
LO2 – To evaluate some key regional bodies in the world today
‘Europe has never existed …
one has genuinely to create
Europe.’
What did Jean Monnet
mean by this?
Regionalism
• The theory or practice of coordinating social,
economic or political activities within a
geographical region comprising a number of
states.
– Growth of norms, rules and structures
– Realignment of political identities and loyalties
from the state to the region
Regionalism
• Successor to the nation state and alternative to
globalisation
• First phase 1945 – 1960s
– Regional cooperation and integration
• Second phase of ‘new regionalism’ late 1980s on
– Creation and strengthening of regional trade blocs
– European Union is most advanced example of
regionalism (political & monetary union, as well as
economic)
Regionalism & Globalisation
• ‘New regionalism’ – since the 1980s
• Surge in economic regionalism
– Acceptance of export-led economic policies
– End of Cold War and Eastern expansion of the EU
– Establishment of WTO
– USA’s role in regional bodies grew
– Acceleration of globalisation (regionalism was
reborn as a mechanism through which states
could manage the effects of globalisation)
Regional & Global
• How does the regional interact with the
global?
• Are regional trade blocs ‘building blocks’ or
‘stumbling blocks’? (Bhagwati, 2008)
• Idea of ‘region as a fortress’ – essentially
protectionist
• However, there have been competitive
impulses too – not turned backs on global
market
Regionalism
Cooperation amongst
sovereign states
Transfer of authority from
states to central bodies
Range
‘Intergovernmentalism’
‘Supranationalism’
Intergovernmentalism
• Interaction among states which takes place on
the basis of sovereign independence
– Treaties
– Alliances
– Often bilateral agreements
– Leagues or confederations
• League of Nations, OPEC, OECD
• State sovereignty is preserved through
unanimous decision making and the veto
Supranationalism
• The existence of an authority that is higher than
that of the nation state and capable of imposing
its will on it
• Transfers sovereignty from states to international
or regional organisation
– Sovereignty is shared or ‘pooled’
• Seen as part of general integrative trend within
global politics
• Criticised by realists as a threat to sovereignty,
national identity and democracy – ‘seeds of world
government’
Key regional blocs
• Activity
– Using the computers research 3 of the regional
organisations on page 485 of the red book
Key terminology bingo
• Pick 4 of the following terms for your bingo
card:
– Regionalism
– Nation state
– Sovereignty
– Supranationalism
– Intergovernmentalism
– Federalism
– Devolution
Homework
• Define the concept of supranationalism, and
explain why it has been controversial.
(Question 5, June 2010 3d exam paper = 15 marks)