engleski

European Nation: New Institutionalism or an Old Nonsense?

The consequences of the failed social and political utopias of the 20th century in Europe can be seen and felt even today. This is why the politicians and the social philosophers are much more cautious when they try to formulate the great social and political programs. The supporters of the idea of the united Europe were cautious even in the 19th century when the formulation of the European ideas and concepts were initiated. Ernest Renan (1996) is known as an ideological conceiver of the idea of the European nation. He claimed in 1882. that the European confederation is going to replace the existing nations (Renan, 1996:59). This type of &#8220 ; ; ; semantic concern&#8221 ; ; ; was taken over by the politicians which were usually described as fighters for the European nation. Carlo Schmid, one of the founding fathers of the Federal Republic of Germany, claimed in 1949 (Schöndube & Ruppert, 1964:326) that the goal of the European politics should not be the Staatenbund or the confederation but the Bundesstaat or a federation, because only through a federation is it possible to create united and functioning Europe. Denis de Rougement (1966) believed that Europe has a cultural and political unity which is an expression of a profound common history. Deep sense of unity and a project of a federal Europe suppose to overcome the existing nation-states. The political and ideological supporters of the idea of an European nation, or those who were described in the public as such, lost their caution. They are using openly and more frequently the term &#8211 ; ; ; nation. The most probable reason for this new and surprising terminological courage is an advanced process of the European integration which final political form after Maastricht treaty in 1991 suppose to be European political union. So the intellectuals and politicians who advocate European unity are using the term European nation more frequently. György Konrád (1999) writes that it is more realistic and more necessary to expect an European constitution and that the European nation suppose to have its own government and its own president. Similar ideas can be found in politics. Jack Lang (1998), former French minister of culture and the president of the Foreign policy committee of the Assemblée Nationale writes that the German state model is a good example for Europe. Constituent assembly, constitution, common foreign and security policy and the capability of the Union to act on the levels like education and culture should be the goals of the common European policy.

European Union; European nation; nationalism; ideology

nije evidentirano