Globalisation, European integration and nation-states

The process of globalisation has been seen as a long-term threat to the future of nation states. The increasing level of interdependence between states, together with the fact that many global problems do not recognize national boarders, has led to a belief that the division of government into many different states is becoming an irrelevance.

As the world moves increasingly towards free trade, the existence of global, rather than national, markets has rendered national governments powerless to control economic forces. Indeed, a good deal of control over trade has now passed to international bodies such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The internationalisation of financial markets, too, has marginalised the role of national banking institutions. Similarly, environmental issues do not respect national borders. The control of emissions, the health of the seas, the protection of endangered species and so on are all international problems. Even separate cultural identities are now threatened by the globalisation of culture and the influence of the internet.

Many liberals welcome these developments. They see globalisation as an opportunity to restore the importance of regional and local government, which they consider to be more democratic and directly accountable to the people. The power of nation-states is often seen by liberals as a threat to democracy and human rights. By reducing their power, globalisation will empower individuals, giving them the potential to be free citizens of the world and not merely subjects of nation-states. This is not to say that liberals would abolish the nation-state altogether; indeed, it was the liberal spirit that first breathed life into the concept of the nation-state. It is simply that liberals favour the dissipation of power into different levels of government, from local to national level.

Conservatives, on the other hand, are staunch defenders of nation-states. They fear the accumulation of power in supranational bodies such as the IMF, the WTO and the European Union (EU). They see democracy in terms of the nation, which is the natural unit of government. They also place greater emphasis upon the importance of the nation as an organic body that represents the culture of its people and its collective identity.

The development of the EU perhaps represents the greatest threat to the institution of the independent nation-state. The champions of European integration argue that economic and political independence must inevitably decline. However, the founder of the European Community – the French socialist Jean Monnet (1888-1979) - did not foresee the demise of the nation-state. Rather, he saw the long-term future of Europe as a single economic and political entity within which national cultures would still exist. For him, the idea of the nation was fundamentally cultural in nature. It could, therefore, survive the inevitable drift towards supranationalism in other spheres. Put another way, those who support European integration are happy to weaken individual states, but wish to preserve national identities.

B. Decide whether the following statements agree with the information given in the text. Write:

True (T) if the statement agrees with the information

False (F) if the statement contradicts the information

Not Given (NG) if there is no information on this

Example: Globalisation is viewed as a short-term threat to the existence of nation-states. (F)

1. It is believed that the division of government into many states is irrelevant.

2. National governments are being empowered to control economic forces.

3. Liberals see local governments as more viable.

4. Liberals aim to eliminate nation-states.

5. Conservatives favour nation-states.

6. According to conservatives the nation is the natural unit of government.

7. Jean Monnet did not envisage dissolution of the nation-state.

8. Supporters of European integration would not like to weaken national states.

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 856