Brief Discussion: EU as an Ideological Project

MEMORANDUM

SUBJECT: European Union (EU) as an on-going ideological project

Conceptual Challenge of the European Union Polity
The further emergence of Euroskeptics reflects the developing deleterious attitude towards the EU. Some would argue that the European Union is increasingly becoming authoritarian and there is the presence of "democratic deficits" in the Union. Numerous extensive research and books have analysed, or attempted to analyse the European Union's polity using different frameworks and angles.
However, none had so far been able to function as a firm ground for the European Union's citizens to obtain clarity with regards to the political decision making, European cooperation, integration and the authority on which the Member States are subject to. It is therefore a challenge to theoretically analyse the EU as a political system. On the other hand, it is an important challenge to identify the boundaries of the European political space and the direction to which it is advancing.
The functional quality of the European Union is dependent on its Member States. The EU moves as one body. Therefore, acquiring membership is not a light matter. The adoption of new countries to be members of the Union entails a rigorous process. This ensures proper integration in so, that the order of the system is maintained.
Weight of Membership
Revoking membership, hence, will not be an ounce easy for both the specific country and the EU as a whole. Britain expresses a desire to detach itself from the European Union because it believes that it can be more powerful without the EU hindering it from making its own decision for the country. Britain claims that the Union is not the same "superpower" entity that it was when they joined it. If the break does happen between the two parties, Britain would not need to help subsidize the farm incomes of poorer regions and this would be one of the downsides for the EU.
The speculated exit of Greece from the European Union stirred a lot of debates. Greece has served as a liability more than a positive contributor especially to the economic welfare of the Union. Statistics on the experienced crisis in the Eurozone illustrated great participation from Greece.
Economically speaking, this exit would be advantageous for the Eurozone, even if it is seen to be stagnating. However, according to Christian Schulz, it would be "politically extremely inconvenient". Moreover, a question of the affordability of this exit for the EU and Greece, especially, is posed. This is a political inconvenience because it would shake the integrity of the Eurozone and the European Union itself.
A Greek economist said, "The lack of a constitutional (or Treaty-enabled) process for exiting the Eurozone has a solid logic behind it. The whole point of creating the common currency was to impress the markets that it is a permanent union that will guarantee huge losses to anyone bold enough to bet against its solidity.
A single exit suffices to punch a hole through this perceived solidity. Like a tiny fault line on a mighty dam, a Greek exit will inevitably lead to the edifice's collapse under the unstoppable forces of disintegration that will gain a toehold within that fault line. The moment Greece is pushed out two things will happen: a massive capital flight from Dublin, Lisbon, Madrid etc., followed by a reluctance of the ECB and Berlin to authorise unlimited liquidity to banks and states. This will mean the immediate bankruptcy of whole banking systems plus Italy and Spain. At that point, Germany will face a hideous dilemma: jeopardise the solvency of the German state (by committing a few trillions to the task of saving what is left of the Eurozone) or bailing itself out (i.e. Germany leaving the Eurozone). I have no doubt that it will choose the latter. And since this will mean tearing up a number of EU Treaties and Charters (including the ECB's) the EU will, in essence, cease to exist."
Importance of Arranging a Political System in Addition to the Main Purpose of Economic Prosperity
Three of the six founding member states of the European Union, which was called European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) originally, were once at war against each other. Establishing a Union was necessary, not only for economic prosperity, but also in maintaining the peace among different states. This desire for peace was mainly aligned with their concerns for their own country, making sure that they do not engage in conflict which would result to harm and further damage to their country.
Any relations regarding nations can be described as political. With this, it is necessary to keep good political relationships in order to receive benefits from another country. It is likened to the business industry where more partnerships and connections greatly help make the business prosper. Aside from what was mentioned, balanced, fair allocation of resources was also one of the main reasons of the ECSC's foundation.
Intergovernmental
The European Union was meant to be intergovernmental. At the present, however, the European Union is facing issues with regards to its Supranationalism tendencies. Looking at the ideologies that the EU requires for member states, the benefits of being in an economic coalition is conditional. Although these ideologies have the intention of bringing harmony throughout the states, these states also possess contrasting beliefs that may be venues for serious conflicts, the Cassis de Dijon is one example.
Population
The European Union has proved itself as a global superpower. Population, as supported by the membership of states, is a potent factor for this, of course, because of the number of people working continuously to achieve and maintain goals.
Reflecting on European disintegration, Leonard and Kundnani say that downfall is possible but it is not as certain as people predict it to be. "This year, the EU's working-age population will start falling from 308 million and is projected to drop to 265 million in 2060. That's expected to increase the old-age dependency ratio (the number of over-65s as a proportion of the total working-age population) from 28 percent in 2010 to 58 percent in 2060. Such figures can lead to absurd predictions of civilizational extinction."
The possibilities of this decline in the working-age population is problematic for the European Union taking into consideration the global status of the EU and their political will to sustain this status.
Common Ideologies
The political part of the Copenhagen criteria say, that, " The candidate country must have achieved stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities."
However, these are easier proclaimed than applied. The assumed gradual fall of the European Union are attested to the failures or deficits of these ideologies, although the Union is powering-through and is devising strategies into which these ideologies would be emphasized.
Multiculturalism
Nicolas Sarkozy is positive that multiculturalism is a failure. Nationalism encouraged countries to engage in both the First and Second World War. The desire to prove to the whole world that one's nation is superior was raging. At the present, nationalism is also what lies in between multiculturalism and internal dispute. He said, "The truth is that in our democracies, we cared too much about the identity of the migrant and not sufficiently about the identity of the country that welcomed him (Sarkozy)."
Uncertain future of this ideological project
The political will of the European Union to keep intact remains strong despite the increasing Euroskepticism and negative criticisms especially on the political management of the European Union. On the other hand, countries maintain interest in joining the Union in hopes of economic and overall growth. This proves that the European Union, though flawed, display characteristics that prove efficient in integration and globalization to achieve the status of a superpower.
Until the European Union can device a system where the interests of states are ensured, the critics will continue to convince others to boycott the efforts of the European Union. Nationalism still plays a great role in this issue and it will take a lot for states to be convinced that another body, the European Union specifically, has the right to have power over their desired mode of law and principles based on their claimed culture and history.







Koch, B. (1999). The transformation of governance in the European Union. London: Routledge.
Making the break. (2012, December 8). Retrieved March 18, 2015, from
http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21567914-how-britain-could-fall-out-european-union-and-what-it-would-mean-making-break
Pettinger, T. (2014, July 10). Euro Debt Crisis Explained. Retrieved March, 2015, from
http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/3806/economics/euro-debt-crisis-explained/
Mchugh, D. (2015, February 19). Here's what it would cost for Greece to leave the euro.
Retrieved March, 2015, from http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-what-it-would-cost-
for-greece-to-leave-the-euro-2015-2
Varoufakis, Y. (2012, May 31). Interviewed by FXstreet.com on Grexit... Retrieved March, 2015,
from http://yanisvaroufakis.eu/2012/05/31/interviewed-by-fxstreet-com-on-grexit
Cassis de Dijon is a brand of liquor. It was banned in Germany because it did not qualify to its standards. However, the court of justice decided that the reasons of Germany in relation to health, etc. are invalid. The principle of mutual recognition emerged, stating that a product qualified to be distributed in a member state, should also be allowed in all the member states.
[Stuyck, J. (n.d.). The transformation of consumer law in the EU in the last 20 years.]
Leonard, M., & Kundnani, H. (April, 2013.). Think Again: European Decline. Retrieved March, 2015,
from http://foreignpolicy.com/2013/04/29/think-again-european-decline/?wp_login_redirect=0
Laurence, J., & Vaisse, J. (2011, March 28). The Dis-Integration of Europe. Retrieved March, 2015,
from http://foreignpolicy.com/2011/03/28/the-dis-integration-of-europe/
4