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The economic and social cohesion of Europe constitutes a main policy goal of the European Union. In this article a broad concept of social cohesion is proposed, which covers two principal dimensions: in addition to disparities in living conditions, which can be called the inequality dimension of social cohesion, social ties between countries are another important aspect, designated in brief as the social capital dimension. For both dimensions empirical analyses of selected indicators are presented. They address the question of whether the social cohesion among EU Member States increased during the past 15 years. Furthermore, the prospects for social cohesion within an enlarged EU are dealt with by analysing potential consequences that the accession of the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland implies for social cohesion. The analyses reveal that social cohesion within the European Union did not really become stronger during the past 15 years. The entry of the three candidate countries would probably weaken social cohesion even further, especially owing to the limited public approval of their accession in many Member States. Social cohesion could be strengthened by greater solidarity between the prosperous and the 'backward' countries. The main prerequisites for this mutual understanding, trustful relations, and a sense of community may be enhanced by intensifying communication and interaction among countries. Sociologický casopis/Czech Sociological Review, 2002, Vol. 38, No. 6: 721-748 1. The concept of social cohesion The concept of social cohesion emerged during the 1990s as a central policy goal at the national and the supranational level. There may be several reasons for the great interest politicians take in issues of social cohesion. First of all, the social cohesion of a society is viewed as a condition of its political stability and security. Inequalities and divisions within a society increase the risk of the political disruption and breakdown of the political system [Council of Europe 2000]. Second, social cohesion is considered a source of wealth and high economic performance, as has been demonstrated in several empirical research studies [for example, Putnam 1993; Hjerppe 1999; Ritzen 2001]. It is also important for * * Direct all correspondence to: Regina Berger-Schmitt, Zentrum fur Umfragen, Methoden und Analysen, Postfach 12 21 55, 60872 Mannheim, BRD, tel. +49 621 12 46-0, e-mail: berger@zumamann-heim.de

Social Cohesion between the Member States of the European Union: Past Developments and Prospects for an Enlarged Union