Assess the Value of the Principal Theories of European Integration.

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ASSESS THE VALUE OF THE PRINCIPAL THEORIES OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION.

The raise and development, after the second World War, of the institutions of economic integration in Western Europe, gave a precious opportunity for both the implementation of current theories and the development of new viewpoints.

Which theory is most appropriate to what is Europe at the moment ?

After the debate of international relations concerning the early development in the European integration, two opposed theories came into sight. First E.B Hass exposed the theory of Neofunctionalism in 1958 followed by L.N Lindberg in 1963 and then S Hoffman brought to light in 1964 and 1966 the theory of intergovernmentalism. (George/Bache p5-6 2001)

Then again other theories appeared, such as neofederalism and supranationalism. These theories can follow the idea that the EU is an intergovernmentalism or a supranationalism institution or be developed against it.

In this essay I will expose all the principal theories of European integration with the point of view of academic theorists. In a first part I will develop the theories with the idea of a centred state, in a second part the theories more for a decentralisation of the state and finally analyse the debate on the future of Europe.

Some theories were developed with the idea that Europe should be ruled and controlled by a centred state, for example an institution.

The foundations of neofunctionalism were established in the late 1950's and during the 1960's by US academics, including, the most important, Ernst Haas (1958) and Leon Lindberg (1963).(Nugent p507 1999).

Neofunctionalism is both a set of theories and strategies.

Neofunctionalism is against the idea that a state is a single unified actor and that they cannot be the only actors on the international stage.

According to neofunctionnalists governments decisions were influenced by bureaucratic actors and different interests groups. They considered that non-states actors are important in international politics, such as the European Commission which seemed to be the most important.

The Commission was expected to be in a situation were it could influence either domestic and international pressures on national governments to make headway the process of European integration, even where governments showed a certain unwillingness.

Neofunctionalism is based on a process of functional spillover, integration in one sector produces pressures to create an integration in related sectors. The concept of spillover explains the fact that when governments set off the idea of integration, the process managed to continue by itself. There were two forms of spillover, functional spillover claim that modern industrial theories were constituted of coordinated parts, though this makes it difficult to limit integration in one sector.
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The other form of spillover was the political spillover, that called for political pressure to accommodate integration in the state concerned.

According to Ernst Haas (1961) a group of states in an international organisation will beat down, if they are left on there own, to a simple link.(George/Bache p11 2001)

On the other hand Hoffmann highlighted the idea that functional integration and "politicization" would not obviously act in the dictated way because he considered that "the centrality of states actors and the persistence of nationalists sentiments" mustn't be forgotten.(Rosamond p 78 2000)

Hass's work clearly ...

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