The EuroAtlantic Union Review

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Latest documents

• The European Enterprise as a Key Player in the European Economic Model. A Historical Perspective

  The enterprise is a key player in the European economic model. An analysis in historical perspective can contribute to better define its identity, helping the implementation of effectual industrial policies during the current phase of economic crisis and political divergences within the Union. This article presents the results of a collective research, still in progress, aiming to identify the native characters - a kind of genetic code - of the European enterprise since the end of 19th century. Despite the differences between the various models of capitalism, we attempt to verify the existence of at least four genetic characters common to the sample of firms studied in major European countries. In our research hypothesis, the "genetic code" of European enterprise is influenced by at least one or more of these four elements: a) Contractual cooperation, cartels and concerted practices; b) Personal or family business, determining the diffusion and relevance of small and medium firms; c) Active role of substitutive factors: the State and the bank; d) Strong influence of the workers and their organization.

• The Exit from the Sovereign Debt Crisis: National Policies, European Reforms and Monetary Policy
• The Need for a Social Market Economy
• The Social Market Economy - Assembled in Germany, Not Made in Germany!

  While the concept of the Social Market Economy has a "Made in Germany" image, "Assembled in Germany" is more correct. A "made in" claim requires that a particular product and all of its components originate from the country. This is not true for the Social Market Economy. Instead, Social Market Economics is a utility model that has incorporated lessons from both international economic history and the international history of economic thought. This article provides an overview of these lessons. It concludes that re-emphasizing the many international influences of and parallels and differences to other political-economic theories is necessary to reposition Social Market Economic thought as the only real-world alternative to the romanticisms of socialism, unfettered market liberalism, and economic macro-management.

• A New European Policy for Development: the Defense Piece
• The Social Market Economy. Incipiency and Topicality of an Economic and Social Policy for a European Community

  This contribution on the economic reconstruction of post-war West Germany traces the development of ideas about economic and socio-political publicity, and their gradual absorption by mainstream politicians, officials and the general public during the period of transition between 1945 and 1949. In those years, several German think tanks, political parties and individuals gave impulse to and then shaped the development of a viable socio-political and economic model between the extremes of laissez-faire capitalism and the collectivist planned economy. In their endeavours to bring into effect their particular economic ideas - often diametrically opposed to one another - the parties of left and right stimulated not only academic and political but also public debate about the political and economic reconstruction of occupied post-war Germany. While all the various neoliberal approaches attached to the people sovereign and decisive status in the institutional economic order, and recognised the interdependence of politics, economics and the public, one particular school of economic thought outpaced the others in communicating a model of coordinated economic and social policy, namely the Social Market Economy.

• A Stable Economic System for Europe
• The Teachings of the Action Committee for the United States of Europe (Monnet Committee)

  The difficulties as well as the successes that the EU faces today are not different from those of the past. They stem, as in the past decades of the Community, from nationalistic attitudes, national self interest, over cautious behaviors and, above all, from various fears: fear of the future, fear of one’s neighbor, suspicion of technological advances and a general feeling of insecurity. However, for a quarter of a century, there was a man who worked behind the European scene with the aim of surmounting all such hurdles. That man was Jean Monnet. He was permanently involved in the gradual construction of a united Europe. It was commonplace to consider that the so-called "Monnet method" could contribute to resolve most of the disputes and disagreements inherent in such a process. The "method" was based on dealing with all the various problems off the visible political stage by bringing together, without prejudice, players drawn from all horizons of public life. Politicians, trade-unionists, decision makers of all origins met together in the Action Committee for the United Sates of Europe with the sole purpose of identifying ways and means to meet the general interest. However, it was, above all, the personal commitment and determination of one man that made things move. To-day’s European rulers need the same driving force to ensure the EU continues to move forward every day, as it does imperceptibly in spite of the apparent difficulties.

• Defence as an Engine of European Political Integration
• Towards a European Party System

Featured documents

• Social Services of General Interest (SSGI) and the Sustainability of European Social Model

  This text analyses the features of SSIG within the broad category of SIG. Since no biding definition can be found either in primary or secondary EU law, social services have to be considered in accordance to the principles, aims and organization forms they are delivered. It is then analysed the...

• The European Enterprise as a Key Player in the European Economic Model. A Historical Perspective

  The enterprise is a key player in the European economic model. An analysis in historical perspective can contribute to better define its identity, helping the implementation of effectual industrial policies during the current phase of economic crisis and political divergences within the Union. This ...

• The Social Market Economy. Incipiency and Topicality of an Economic and Social Policy for a European Community

  This contribution on the economic reconstruction of post-war West Germany traces the development of ideas about economic and socio-political publicity, and their gradual absorption by mainstream politicians, officials and the general public during the period of transition between 1945 and 1949. In...

• Social Market Economy and Economic Democracy: the Trade Union's Role

  The paper discusses the role that the trade union can play in the construction of the new European Social Market Economy, widening the frontiers of democracy. In the current situation of "social dismantling", it is necessary in fact to increase the number of the protagonists of the...

• The Need for a Social Market Economy
• No Virtute like Necessity? Cooperation between the Poles of National Sovereignity and European Army - Some Thoughts for a Systemic Approach
• The Social Market Economy - Assembled in Germany, Not Made in Germany!

  While the concept of the Social Market Economy has a "Made in Germany" image, "Assembled in Germany" is more correct. A "made in" claim requires that a particular product and all of its components originate from the country. This is not true for the Social Market...

• The Teachings of the Action Committee for the United States of Europe (Monnet Committee)

  The difficulties as well as the successes that the EU faces today are not different from those of the past. They stem, as in the past decades of the Community, from nationalistic attitudes, national self interest, over cautious behaviors and, above all, from various fears: fear of the future, fear...

• For a New Humanism of the Economy

  The Social Doctrine of the Church (SDC) can contribute to define a "new humanism in the economy", since the economy needs ethics in order to function correctly. SDC identifies four permanent principles: the dignity of the human person, the common good, subsidiarity, and solidarity, which...

• Social Market Economy and the Future of European Unification

  Europe and the world are now facing one another with two opposing visions containing a series of forces and ideas. A first perspective asserted itself in the last part of the XX century and resulted in globalisation, radical liberism (market without institutions) and relativism. A second...