European Democratic Culture (What Is Europe?, Book 3)

These essays go beyond conventional studies of the institutions and parties of Europe to address Europe's democractic future more widely.While the book does offer an analysis of the democratic institutions of European countries, identifying common features and differences, as the editors put it, "institutions cannot function alone, like machines to produce concensus". So the book focuses on the fundamentals of European democratic culture. The authors argue that European social life and scientific learning have been indispensable components in the growth of the shared values that democracy pursues. They also analyse the dynamic tension brought to the life of democractic institutions by law, the desire for freedom, and critical public debate.With Europe engaged in perpetual self-examination, and rapid change, this book provides insights into its democractic past and prognosticates for its democratic future. Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 2 Copyright......Page 3 Contents......Page 5 General preface to ‘What is Europe?’......Page 10 Introduction to Book 3......Page 13 Part I The growth of democracy......Page 16 Introduction......Page 17 An anthropological approach to science and politics......Page 18 The birth of political thought......Page 20 The democratic ideal and the conditions of its emergence......Page 24 The medieval world......Page 27 A new methodological discipline......Page 32 A new attitude of mind......Page 34 New thinking in law and politics......Page 37 The human community and natural right......Page 38 The critique of authority......Page 41 Some questionable presuppositions of the new thinking......Page 43 The problem of sovereignty......Page 45 The authority of Law and natural right......Page 48 A different conception of society......Page 50 A psychology of social ties......Page 51 Modern political rationality......Page 54 The concept of public opinion......Page 56 Afterword: Crisis and the conditions for democracy......Page 59 References......Page 62 Introduction......Page 63 The rationalization of social conflicts......Page 64 The British parliamentary system......Page 65 Consociational democracy7......Page 67 The republican compromise......Page 68 German authoritarianism......Page 71 Southern European clientelism......Page 72 The virtuous logic of republican institutions......Page 73 The apprenticeship of citizens......Page 74 The extension of political activity......Page 75 The circulation of élites......Page 76 Ensuring peaceful outcome to social conflicts......Page 78 The neutralization of political extremism......Page 80 Conclusion......Page 81 References......Page 83 Part II Individual freedom and the rule of Law......Page 84 Introduction to Part II......Page 85 Introduction......Page 88 The meanings of democracy......Page 89 Expressive democracy......Page 90 Citizen democracy......Page 94 Democracy as a form of order or organization......Page 96 Nationalism and democracy......Page 97 Criticisms of democracy......Page 99 Conservative and liberal criticisms......Page 100 Marxism......Page 102 Feminism......Page 103 Rational choice criticisms......Page 104 Democracy and freedom......Page 106 The restatement of democracy?......Page 107 References......Page 109 The idea of the state under the rule of Law......Page 111 Limits to the authority of the state......Page 112 The people......Page 114 Territory......Page 116 The political meaning of sovereignty......Page 117 The juridical meaning of sovereignty: the legal order in a state under the rule of Law......Page 118 The rights of man tradition......Page 120 The rule of Law and the continental tradition of jurisprudence......Page 121 The meaning and significance of the rule of Law......Page 124 The character and foundation of the modern state......Page 126 The individualist model of the state......Page 127 The organicist model of the state......Page 128 Liberal-democratic critics of organicism......Page 129 The idea of the common good......Page 131 The objective basis of the common good......Page 132 The limits of the state and the common good of humanity......Page 134 References......Page 135 Bibliography......Page 137 Part III Public opinion and the role of criticism......Page 139 Introduction to Part III......Page 140 Public opinion: the current situation and issues......Page 144 The historical origin of public opinion and its evolution......Page 147 The emergence of public opinion and the classical-liberal view of it......Page 148 The break-up and delegitimation of public opinion......Page 153 Public opinion in contemporary democracy......Page 158 The contested and intangible reality of public opinion......Page 159 Public opinion and the mass media......Page 160 The achievements and inadequacies of opinion research......Page 165 Recent controversies and new conceptions of public opinion......Page 167 Other studies......Page 178 Introduction......Page 181 Ideology and the practices of institutions......Page 183 Political theory......Page 184 Ideology......Page 186 Rule 1: Diversity......Page 187 Rule 2: Uncertainty......Page 195 Systems Theory......Page 197 Comparative government......Page 198 Political theory and the demystification of politics......Page 200 The critiques of reason of state and of government......Page 204 The critique of reason of state......Page 205 The critique of government......Page 209 References......Page 211 Part IV The institutions of democracy......Page 214 Introduction to Part IV......Page 215 Introduction......Page 218 Constitutional democracy......Page 219 The parliamentary system of government: dualism and monism......Page 220 Representation......Page 222 Majority democracy and consociational democracy......Page 224 The head of state......Page 226 The head of government......Page 228 Parliament......Page 231 Relationships between government and parliament......Page 232 Impact of electoral systems......Page 233 Party systems......Page 236 Conclusion......Page 237 References......Page 238 Belgium......Page 239 Germany......Page 240 The adoption of legislation by an elected parliamentary assembly......Page 241 Parliamentary control over the executive......Page 247 Decision-taking by majority......Page 251 Fundamental rights......Page 257 Afterword: The situation following the Maastricht Treaty (1992)......Page 259 Appointment of the Commission......Page 260 Powers of control......Page 261 Conclusion to Book 3......Page 262 Jean Baudoin......Page 267 Gerard Duprat......Page 268 Hans-Joachim Schmidt......Page 269 Index to Book 3......Page 270 "This book puts the idea of Europe in its historical context, tracing it back to the ancient Greeks and their association of Europe with political freedom. From this starting point the first essay shows how Europe became identified with Christendom in the fifteenth century and with 'civilization' in the eighteenth, before being used by nineteenth-century reformers and reactionaries either to promote change or to defend the status quo." "Twentieth-century developments are the focus for discussion in the other two essays. A number of 'projects' for Europe are examined against the background of the two world wars, consideration is given to recent trends towards political and economic integration and an assessment is offered of the contemporary relevance of the European idea."--BOOK JACKET. This book puts the idea of Europe in its historical context, tracing it back to the ancient Greeks and their association of Europe with political freedom. From this starting point the first essay shows how Europe became identified with Christendom in the fifteenth century and with 'civilization' in the eighteenth, before being used by nineteenth-century reformers and reactionaries either to promote change or to defend the status quo. Twentieth-century developments are the focus for discussion in the other two essays. A number of 'projects' for Europe are examined against the background of the two world wars, consideration is given to recent trends towards political and economic integration and an assessment is offered of the contemporary relevance of the European idea. Book 1. The history of the idea of Europe / edited by Kevin Wilson and Jan van der Dussen ; contributors, Pim den Boer, Peter Bugge, Ole Wœver Book 2. Aspects of European cultural diversity / edited by Monica Shelley and Margaret Winck ; contributors, Konrad Schröder ... [et al.] Book 3. European democratic culture / edited by Alain-Marc Rieu and Gérard Duprat ; English edition prepared by Noël Parker ; contributors, Alain-Marc Rieu ... [et al.] Book 4. Europe and the wider world Contributors, Alain-marc Rieu ... [et Al.] ; Edited By Alain-marc Rieu And Gérard Duprat ; English Edition Prepared By Noël Parker. On Title Page : The Open University, Federation Interuniversitaire De L'enseignement à Distance, European Association Of Distance Teaching Universities. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. The authors argue that European social life and scientific learning are indispensable components in the growth of the shared values that democracy pursues. They analyse the democratic institutions of Europe in relation to aspects of its culture.