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How is a closer union conceivable under conditions of ever more socio‐economic and political diversity? Constitutionalising Europe's unitas in pluralitate
Author(s) -
Joerges Christian
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
european law journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.351
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1468-0386
pISSN - 1351-5993
DOI - 10.1111/eulj.12289
Subject(s) - austerity , diversity (politics) , politics , divergence (linguistics) , convergence (economics) , european union , treaty , mantra , european debt crisis , political economy , political science , european integration , financial crisis , resistance (ecology) , normative , economics , economic policy , law , economic growth , macroeconomics , ecology , philosophy , linguistics , theology , biology
Under the impact of the financial crisis, socio‐economic divergence, even among the members of the Eurozone, deepened dramatically. European crisis politics therefore sought to impose convergence through budgetary prescriptions and austerity measures. This essay raises not only normative objections; it submits that these efforts are bound to generate serious resistance. The follow‐up query is whether Europe would be better advised to replace its one‐size‐fits‐all mantra by policies tolerating diversity and fostering cooperative problem‐solving. To what degree such a return to the ‘united in diversity’ motto of the Constitutional Treaty of 2014 would be economically beneficial is unpredictable. It seems highly likely, however, that it could help to overcome the increasing aversion against the European integration project.