Weeks, J. (2014) “Alter The European Union: A Conference In Helsinki For Progressive Change“, Social Europe Journal, 04 April.
At the end of March a coalition of progressive parties and groups organized a meeting in Helsinki focusing on fostering change in the European Union (political program summarized here). For anyone seeking to transform the present EU of the 1% into an EU for the 99% (see my new book, The Economics of the 1%), the conference provided hope for the future. This is despite ominous signals coming from the upcoming elections for the European Parliament.
As the discussion and debate unfolded, the various arguments made from the podium and the audience could be assigned to three broad positions. First, I consider what I label the Unconditional Support position, which I summarize as follows. The European Union is far from perfect, but less flawed than political systems at the national level. Regional economic and political integration represents an inevitable wave of the further, dictated by the irreversible process of globalization.
Opposition to European Union, including calls for radical transformation of existing institutions (e.g., the European Central Bank) are reactionary in two senses. First, this opposition seeks to recreate a world of the past, as impossible as attempting to return to an agrarian-based Europe. Second, it is advocated by the most right-wing, often anti-democratic political groups in Europe. For progressives there-is-no-alternative to supporting the European Union in its present form, though changes are urgently needed. All progressive changes must and will occur through deeper integration among EU members.
Relevant posts:
- Darvas, Z. & Wolff, B. G. (2014) “Europe’s social problem and its implications for economic growth“, Bruegel Policy Brief, 01 Απριλίου.
- Sapir, A. (2014) “France and Germany must both change economic strategy”, Bruegel Blog, 13 Φεβρουαρίου.
- International Monetary Fund (2014) “Fiscal Policy and Income Inequality“, IMF Policy Paper, 23 Ιανουαρίου.