Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
of European Integration
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The ‚grand triangle‘ of integration theories
intergovernmentalism
(Neo- ) Functionalism
supranationalism
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Wessels - Jean Monnet Chair, Cologne
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Explaining Realism through ALIS
Assumptions Logics
THEORY
Strategies Institutions
ancient:
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Realist assumptions of Man
medieval:
Niccoló Machiavelli:
“International politics is, as all politics, the struggle for power. (…)
Wherever the final goals of international politics are, the short-term
goal is always power.”
Politics Among Nations: The struggle for power and peace. 1948.
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Realist assumptions of the State
States are (the only) rational actors (in the international system) and gain
their legitimacy from their power monopoly derived from:
1) territory
2) population
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Realist assumptions of the State
The billiard-ball-model:
state C
state B
state A
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(Neo-) Realism in the ALIS-scheme
Assumptions Logics
• alliance building
• homo homini lupus • balance of power
• bellum omnia contra omnes •‘balance your neighbour’
• evil egocentric mankind • anarchical international system
• original sin idea • no enforcement structures in
• security dilemma case of non-compliance
• escalation ladder
• zero-sum-game
THEORY
European Parliament
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The European Council from a Realist perspective
- de-facto-decision-maker
- top level of state hierarchy
- represents the countries’ interests
- legitimated by national parliaments and elections
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(Neo-) Realism in the ALIS-scheme
Assumptions Logics
• alliance building
• homo homini lupus • balance of power
• bellum omnia contra omnes •‘balance your neighbour’
• evil egocentric mankind • anarchical international system
• original sin idea • no enforcement structures in
• security dilemma case of non-compliance
• escalation ladder
• zero-sum-game
THEORY
Institutions
• do not matter, states only ‘real’ actors
• institutions only as a tool to power
• no autonomous power of their own
• European Council as most important
institution, de-facto decision-maker
• Parliament = exchange of views
• Commission = secretariat
• Council = subservient
to E.Council
Neo-Realism
Kenneth WALTZ
In crucial situations, the ultimate concern of states is not for power but for
security. This is an important revision of realist theory.“
Theories of International Relations, 1979; Realist Thought and Neorealist Theory. 1990.
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EU- specific Modifications to Realism:
Intergovernmentalism
Obstinate or Obsolete? The Fate of the Nation-State and the Case of Western Europe.
2) nation states and national interests remain the key agents and factors
driving European integration;
Andrew MORAVCSIK
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Liberal Intergovernmentalism: Opening up the ‘black box’
“directoire”
“Europe à la carte”
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(Neo-) Realism in the ALIS-scheme
Assumptions Logics
• homo homini lupus • alliance building
• bellum omnia contra omnes • balance of power
• evil egocentric mankind •‘balance your neighbour’
• original sin idea • anarchical international system
• security dilemma • no enforcement structures in
• escalation ladder case of non-compliance
• zero-sum-game
THEORY
Institutions
Strategies • do not matter, states only ‘real’ actors
•“ever closer union of the peoples” • institutions only as a tool to power
• EU legitimacy based on nation state • no autonomous power of their own
• limited sovereignty transfer to I.O. • European Council as most important
• allow veto structures to safeguard institution, de-facto decision-maker
national interests • Parliament = exchange of views
• Commission = secretariat
• Council = subservient
to E.Council
TEU 25
TEU -
(a) TEU - -
(c)
(b)
III II TEU - - -
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Bibliography and slides available on the homepage:
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Essential readings on Realism, Neo-Realism and Intergovernmentalism:
Thucydides. History of the Peloponnesian War [431 BC]. “Pericles’ Funeral Oratio”. Book 2, 34-46, 50-54 and
“The Melian Dialogue”, Book 5, 84-116. Source: Chris Brown, Terry Nardin and Nicholas Rengger (eds.).
International Relations in Political Thought. Texts from the Ancient Greeks to the First World War. Cambridge:
Cambridge UP, 2002.
Machiavelli, Niccolò. The Prince [1532]. “The Things for Which Men, and Especially Rulers, Are Praised or
Blamed”, Chapter 15. Source: Chris Brown, Terry Nardin and Nicholas Rengger (eds.). International Relations
in Political Thought. Texts from the Ancient Greeks to the First World War. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2002.
Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan [1651]. “Of the Natural Condition of Mankind, as Concerning Their Felicity, and
Misery”, Chapter 13 and “Of the First and Second Natural Laws and of Contracts”, Chapter 14. Source: Chris
Brown, Terry Nardin and Nicholas Rengger (eds.). International Relations in Political Thought. Texts from the
Ancient Greeks to the First World War. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2002.
Hume, David. Essays: Moral, Political, and Literary [1752]. “Of the Balance of Power”, Part II, Essay VII.
Source: Chris Brown, Terry Nardin and Nicholas Rengger (eds.). International Relations in Political Thought.
Texts from the Ancient Greeks to the First World War. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2002.
MORGENTHAU, Hans J. Politics Among Nations: The Struggle for Power and Peace. New York: Knopf, 1973
[1948]. “A Realist Theory of International Politics”.
Waltz, Kenneth N. Man, the State and War: A Theoretical Analysis. ‘Introduction’, New York: Columbia UP,
1959.
Academic sources:
BIELING; Hans-Jürgen / Lerch, Marika (Hrsg.): Theorien der europäischen Integration, Stuttgart 2005, p. 91-116.
BUZAN, Barry (1996) The Timeless Wisdom of Realism? In: Steve Smith, Ken Booth and Marysia Zalemski
(eds.). International Theory. Positivism and Beyond. Cambridge: CUP, 47-65.
GRIECO, Joseph M. (1995) The Maastricht Treaty, Economic and Monetary Union and the Neo-Realist Research
Programme. In: Review of International Studies 20:1.
HOFFMANN, Stanley (1966) Obstinate or Obsolete : the Fate of the Nation State and the Core of Western
Europe. In: Daedalus 95:3, 862-915.
LINK, Werner (2001) Die Entwicklungstendenzen der Europäischen Integration (EG/EU) und die neo-realistische
Theorie. In: Zeitschrift für Politik 48:3.
MEARSHEIMER, John J (1990) Back to the Future: Instability in Europe after the Cold War. In: International
Security 15:1.
MILWARD, Alan (1992) The European Rescue of the Nation State. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Moravcsik, Andrew (1993) “Preferences and Power in the European Community: A Liberal Intergovernmentalist
Approach“. In: JCMS 31:4 (1993), 473-524.
MORAVCSIK, Andrew (1998): The Choice for Europe: Social Purpose and State Power from Messina to
Maastricht, UCL.
WALTZ, Kenneth (1979) Theories of international politics. New York: McGraw Hill.
WALTZ, Kenneth (1990) Realist thought and Neorealist Theory, in: Journal of International Affairs, vol. 44, n° 1.
WIENER, Antje / Diez, Thomas (eds.), European Integration Theory, Oxford 2003, p. 75-94
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Suggested readings:
HOFFMANN, Stanley. “Obstinate or Obsolete : the Fate of the Nation State and the Core of
Western Europe” in Daedalus 95 :3 (1966), 862-915.
MORAVCSIK, Andrew. “Preferences and Power in the European Community: A Liberal Intergovernmentalist
Approach“. In: JCMS 31:4 (1993), 473-524.
MORGENTHAU, Hans J. ”Politics Among Nations: The Struggle for Power and Peace”. New York: Knopf,
1973 [1948]. “A Realist Theory of International Politics”, Chapter 1.
WALTZ, Kenneth N. “Man, the State and War: A Theoretical Analysis”. New York: Columbia UP, 1959.
“Introduction”.
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