James, H. (2014) “Europe and Anti-Europe“. Project Syndicate, 27 May.
LONDON – The European Parliament election has set off a painful process of rethinking not only how the European Union works, but also what it is fundamentally about. The outcome made it clear that there are now two Europes: one in which the logic of integration is deeply embedded in the political system and the social order; and one that rejects the basic assumptions of pooled sovereignty.
The good news is that most of Europe is in the former category; the bad news is that the exceptions include two very large and powerful countries.
The debate about Europe is not simply a discussion of the merits of this or that institutional or technical solution to a problem of political coordination; it is about how societies can organize themselves successfully in a globalized world. Up to now, there has been too much emphasis on institutional design, and not enough on social dynamism and innovation.
Relevant posts:
- Zikos, A. (2013) “Party Euroscepticism in Greece during the Financial Crisis, the Cases of SYRIZA and Chrysi Avgi“, National and Kapodestrian University of Athens, June.
- McDonnell, D. (2014) “The rise of Euroscepticism across Europe has masked general apathy about the European elections among voters“, LSE EUROPP, 29 April.
- Piedrafita, S. & Lauenroth, A. (2014) “Between Apathy and Anger: Challenges to the Union from the 2014 Elections to the European Parliament“, Politics and Institutions, EPIN Papers, 20 May.