The historian Kiran Klaus Patel approaches in his book gently Unique of the “European project”. It’s going to be a “culture of compromise”, the effort of cooperation and mutual trust. This wise comment on the topic of “Elite” and “Brussels” was long overdue. A compositional Trick that distinguishes the book is a pleasant contrast to the variety of dry-as-dust European studies. the Review by Bernd Greiner
a historian, to go with the attribute “unique” for good reasons, careful to refer to location map with major parallel developments, or in the strikingly similar events in different eras. Also in Maastricht, faculty, Kiran Klaus Patel archived fact look for its distance to be known.
seems So sober, his latest investigation once again, she lives by a unfamiliar sound. Namely, of admiration, if not enthusiasm for a task that is actually unique, but nevertheless of many to be arbitrary and therefore unnecessary is maintained. Refers to the “European project”, the code number for an Experiment with an open end and a constant new beginning.
Before he puts this core on gives Patel with all kinds of myths and exaggerated self-images. Yes, at the beginning of the shock experience of the Second world war and the horror of the toxic were legacies of nationalism. A significant contribution to peace, the European community could not afford in their young years. Involved in the block logic of the Cold war deepened the division of Europe – an aspect that is in view of the historical reconciliation between Germany and France and the “internal peace” in Western Europe, is all too easily overlooked.
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Yes, initially it was also about the taming of economic self-interest that had contributed to in previous decades, to the devastation of democratic cultures. Questionable however is whether the political process of unification was able to make a significant contribution to the economic consolidation in the member States.
are Irritating at first glance, these and other theses Patel’s but all of them well-founded. Your presentation can be read on the basis of eight case studies – which are each for itself, i.e. independently of each other – deepened the understanding of the Europeanizing dynamics in Detail without losing Big picture from the sight. This compositional Trick is different, the book is a pleasant contrast to the variety of dry-as-dust European studies, whose reading is actually reasonable for experts only. That Patel needed a non-science prose dominates, does the Rest.
the focal point of his work is the careful approach to the Unique of the “European project”. It’s going to be a “culture of compromise”, the effort of cooperation and mutual trust. The like is not produced on the big stage, or due to the promulgation of a master plan. Required a duration is, as Patel rightly emphasizes, conversation on many levels and the regular personal contact of the person responsible.
Kiran Klaus Patel: project Europe. A critical history. Verlag C. H. Beck, Munich 2018. 463 Pages, 29,95 Euro. E-Book: 24,99 Euro.
(photo: C. H. Beck)
as soon As generations of diplomats and experts will be involved in a collective learning process, the political state of aggregation – at the expense of the Absolute and Unconditioned, for the benefit of a consciousness of common concerns and commitments. This wise comment on the topic of “Elite” and “Brussels” was long overdue, for this reason alone, the book should be included in the Canon of citizenship education.
Quasi in passing, the author of the historians ‘ Guild has given it a go yet an important topic for future Research is on the way. Because, as “Trust” in terms of personnel, institutionally and operationally, in fact, is done, there is woefully little literature.
In the early 1950s, hundreds of thousands of Europe went on the road
The income of the “European project”, however, are obvious. That national interests are not pitted against each other, but by weather-proof procedure, and in a peaceful manner to be compensated, is remarkable enough. It is unheard of that all the setbacks and conflicts, a success story in Spite of for more than 60 years, beech – not least due to the in the Background, reliably acting European law.
And irreplaceable is the toughness of a small-scale work, the detoxification of the Controversy, and the openness to unfamiliar challenges. Because the foreign policy cooperation – Georges Pompidou and Willy Brandt, thank – since the early 1970s, on new foundations was made, provided the community is also a significant contribution to the damping of the inflated squabbles between Washington and Moscow. The more you wish for after reading some more past in the present.
on the Other hand, Learning from history is a tricky business and not for everyone. Otherwise, the “Brexiteers” with a view to the house-made economic decline of Algeria would have been a direct result of the since the 1962 completion of the withdrawal from the then EEC – maybe a Better level-headed. In this respect to the effect of wishing for the end of Translation of the book into English, a lot is
Maybe Patel inspired but the Helpless among the continental Europeans, the grind on the elite Cabinet policy of the community with good reasons, without knowing how the legitimacy deficit of the “elite project” to deal with.
In the early 1950s, were not only hundreds of thousands for Europe on the road. It is countless the summer were offered camps, conferences and congresses, forums, political Inspiration, especially for the young Generation. At the latest and, of all places, in 1968, these impulses residue were fizzles free. As you could now be reactivated, this question and can’t answer Kiran Klaus Patel.
But with his understated book, he has supplied building blocks for a rousing Europe narrative – and all printing most has a witty question: If history is an always open process, why should it not be possible, the miraculous ascribe a Chapter of European integration continue?
Bernd Greiner is a historian at Berlin’s College of the Cold war.
