Surpassing Realism: The Politics of European Integration since 1945 (Governance in Europe Series)

This accessible text provides a concise political history of European integration from the end of World War II to the present. The \_European Project\_ raises fascinating and important questions: How did Europe's states overcome their traditional rivalries and quarrels to build supranational institutions? What were the economic and geopolitical forces that drove them? Which individual statesmen contributed most to defining the European project? What are the issues that confronted the EU in the last decade and what problems will the EU face as its leaders consider even more advanced forms of political integration? All these questions are addressed by this engaging text, which offers a clear and readable account of the complex historical process by which Europe's unique polity has been built. Chronology 1945-2002 -- 1. Introduction: An Unusual New Polity. Structure And Content ; Themes ; Terminology -- 2. Enemies To Partners: The Politics Of Cooperation In Western Europe 1945-1950. The American Vision For Europe: The Marshall Plan And The Oeec ; A Harmonious Society: The Vision Of The European Movement ; Cooperation Between Governments: The British Vision ; The German Question And The Schuman Plan -- 3 Spillovers And Setbacks: From The Schuman Plan To The Common Market 1950-1958. The Coal And Steel Community ; The Defense Community ; From Messina To Rome ; The Treaties Of Rome: 25 March 1957 ; The Uniting Of Europe -- 4. In The Shadow Of The General: De Gaulle And The Eec 1958-1969. The Eec's First Four Years ; The Union Of States ; The First British Negotiation For Entry ; The Empty Chair Crisis And The Luxembourg Compromise ; Positive And Negative Integration -- 5. Weathering The Storm: The Ec During The Economic Crises Of The 1970s. Thinking Positive 1969-1972 ; Monetary Turmoil 1971-1974 ; Foreign Policy Failures And The Tindemans Report ; The European Monetary System ; Beyond The Common Market -- 6. The 1992 Initiative And The Single European Act. France Sees The Light ; The British Budgetary Question ; Mediterranean Enlargement ; The 1992 Initiative And The Dooge Committee ; The Single European Act ; Evaluating The Single European Act -- 7. The Maastricht Compromise. The Paquet Delors And The Delors Report ; The Bruges Speech ; German Unification And Its Consequences ; The Hour Of Europe ; The Maastricht Treaty ; Making Sense Of Maastricht -- 8. Europe Since Maastricht. Adopting The Euro ; Enlargement To Central And Eastern Europe ; The Institutional Question ; The Eu's Growing World Role ; A Constitutional Convention. Mark Gilbert. This Book Evolved From A Course Of Lectures Given At The University Of Trento, Italy In The Academic Year 1999-2000. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. A second edition of this book is now available. A true global giant, the European Union is a unique confederation of 15 member-states whose collective economic power is second only to that of the United States. Already encompassing 375 million citizens, the EU will soon grow to include a further 10 states from Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean. To understand the future of this remarkable experiment in regional cooperation, we must first trace its past.This engaging text provides a concise political history of European integration from the end of World War II to the present. The'European project'raises fascinating and important questions: How did Europe's states overcome their traditional rivalries and quarrels to build supranational institutions? What were the economic and geopolitical forces that drove them? Which statesmen contributed most to defining the European project? What are the issues that confronted the EU in the last decade and what problems will the EU face as its leaders consider even more advanced forms of political integration? All these questions are addressed by this text, which offers a clear and readable account of the complex historical process by which Europe's unique polity has been built.2004 update:'A Fiasco But Not a Disaster'by Mark Gilbert, courtesy of World Policy Journal, Vol. 21 (Spring 2004) www.worldpolicy.org A true global giant, the European Union is a unique confederation of 15 member-states whose collective economic power is second only to that of the United States. Already encompassing 375 million citizens, the EU will soon grow to include a further 10 states from Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean. To understand the future of this remarkable experiment in regional cooperation, we must first trace its past. This engaging text provides a concise political history of European integration from the end of World War II to the present. The 'European project' raises fascinating and important How did Europe's states overcome their traditional rivalries and quarrels to build supranational institutions? What were the economic and geopolitical forces that drove them? Which statesmen contributed most to defining the European project? What are the issues that confronted the EU in the last decade and what problems will the EU face as its leaders consider even more advanced forms of political integration? All these questions are addressed by this text, which offers a clear and readable account of the complex historical process by which Europe's unique polity has been built. 2004 'A Fiasco But Not a Disaster' by Mark Gilbert, courtesy of World Policy Journal, Vol. 21 (Spring 2004) (http://www.worldpolicy.org) www.worldpolicy.org A true global giant, the European Union is a unique confederation of 15 member-states whose collective economic power is second only to that of the United States. Already encompassing 375 million citizens, the EU will soon grow to include a further 10 states from Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean. This accessible text provides a concise political history of European integration from the end of World War II to 2002. The European Project raises important questions such as How did Europe's states overcome their traditional rivalries and quarrels to build supranational institutions?, What were the economic and geopolitical forces that drove them?, Which individual statesmen contributed most to defining the European project? and What problems will the EU face as its leaders consider even more advanced forms of political integration?. All these questions are addressed by this text which offers a clear account of the complex historical process by which Europe's unique polity has been built