Theories of European Integration

1850 Words8 Pages
Abstract European integration has appeared to have reached a standstill due to the clash of assumptions of its various theories. Instead of encouraging integration, the various theories have further fragmented the European Union. This paper aims to discuss the different theories of European integration and where the concepts of these theories were derived from. In this paper, the author aspired to find a steady flow of ideas from one theory to another. The author also aspired to enumerate the assumptions and criticisms of each theory and find any possible similarities they have with each other. Lastly, this paper aims to illustrate the theories’ co-existence with one another and how this co-existence helped policy makers predict the probable outcomes of European integration. Introduction The first ever idea of uniting Europe was first conceived in the 14th century. It was only after the Second World War wherein European policy makers thought that if they could bring Europe together, war would be impossible. There was a concerted effort from European nations to be able to move on from the war, deal with their economic exhaustion, and create a closer Europe. All this then resulted to a series of events starting from the European Coal and Steel Community, eventually creating the European Union (EU). Presently, it is composed of 27 member states with their own individual sets of goals and interests. However, a fraction of their sovereignty had to be given up in order for them to be considered a part of the EU which is geared towards European integration. Foundations of European Integration Theories For European integration to take place, European nations should cooperate and must be willing to give up a part of their sovereignty. Since the 1950s, theories have been used to study the integration process of Europe. Not only were these theories used to formulate
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