THE SHARING OF SOVEREIGNTY: THE EUROPEAN PARADOX

In: Political studies, Band 47, S. 503-521

Abstract

IN EUROPE, THE NARRATIVES OF NATIONAL HISTORY FROM WHICH INTEGRATING NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS FORGED SHARED LOYALTIES AND IDENTITIES A CENTURY AGO ARE DISINTEGRATING. YET NO COHERENT EUROPEAN NARRATIVE IS EMERGING, SUFFICIENT TO GENERATE A LEGITIMIZING COMMUNITY OF SHARED IDENTITY AT THIS NEW, DIFFUSE, LEVEL OF GOVERNANCE. GOVERNMENTS HAVE ATTEMPTED TO MAINTAIN NATIONAL WELFARE, NATIONAL SYMBOLS, AND NATIONAL INTERPRETATIONS OF STATEHOOD AND SOVEREIGNTY, WHILE TRANSFERRING AN INCREASING PROPORTION OF POLICY-MAKING TO THE INTRICATE NETWORK OF COUNCILS AND COMMITTEES WHICH MANAGE THEIR SHARED SOVEREIGNTY. THE CENTRAL PARADOX OF THE EUROPEAN POLITICAL SYSTEM IN THE 1990S IS THAT GOVERNANCE IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY A MULTI-LEVEL, INTRICATELY INSTITUTIONALIZED ACTIVITY, WHILE REPRESENTATION, LOYALTY AND IDENTITY REMAIN STUBBORNLY ROOTED IN THE TRADITIONAL INSTITUTIONS OF THE NATION STATE. MUCH OF THE SUBSTANCE OF EUROPEAN STATE SOVEREIGNTY HAS NOW FALLEN AWAY; THE SYMBOLS, THE SENSE OF NATIONAL SOLIDARITY, THE FOCUS FOR POLITICAL REPRESENTATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY, NEVERTHELESS REMAIN.