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At the Source of European Solidarity: Assessing the Effects of Cross‐border Practices and Political Attitudes
Author(s) -
Ciornei Irina,
Recchi Ettore
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
jcms: journal of common market studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.54
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1468-5965
pISSN - 0021-9886
DOI - 10.1111/jcms.12507
Subject(s) - solidarity , eurobarometer , politics , political science , member state , state (computer science) , political economy , limiting , european union , economic system , sociology , member states , economics , law , international trade , algorithm , computer science , mechanical engineering , engineering
Abstract In this article we discuss the concept of European solidarity by distinguishing between transnational and international solidarity. The former refers to support for institutional arrangements aimed at sharing economic risks at the individual level, while the latter entails public agreement to share economic risks at the Member State level. We explore the joint role of cross‐border interactions and political attitudes in fostering solidarity ties among Europeans through multilevel modelling based on the 2012 Eurobarometer 77 survey. The article shows that transnational experiences do not have the same effect on different forms of European solidarity, limiting transnational and enhancing international solidarity. Egalitarian individuals are more prone to EU‐wide solidarity, with cross‐border practices affecting their level of solidarity, while not altering those of the rest of the population. In particular, we find that cross‐border practices make egalitarians more inclined to international and less to transnational solidarity.