European Federalism

European Federalism or Eurofederalism, sometimes called Europeanism, is a Pan-Nationalist ideology focused on creation of a federal and usually democratic superstate, uniting European nations.

History

Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination Ancient Rome Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination

Roman Republic and Roman Empire had a significant influence on the Europeanist ideology. The Roman Empire was the only nation that to this day, at its peak in 117 AD controlled majority of European continent and was the first ever Pan-European state. Rome spread its laws, culture, philosophy and later Christianity throughout Europe, forming the foundation for Pan-European identity.

Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination Charlemagne and the Holy Roman Empire

With the coronation of Charlemagne as the Emperor of Rome in the idea of a sole sovereign Emperor would re-emerge in the West. The idea of the Holy Roman Empire possessing a special sovereignty as a Universal Monarchy was respected by the surrounding powers and subject states, even when that Empire had undergone severe fragmentation.

Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination Otto's Universalism

Ruling since 996 to 1002 AD Holy Roman Emperor Otto III dreamed of a united Europe, creating a concept of universal Holy Roman Empire that would consist of 4 lands: Germania, Italia, Galia and Sclavinia, effectively creating a Pan-European universal monarchy centered around the Holy Roman Emperor.

Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination Renaissance and Dante Alighieri

Italian Poet Dante Alighieri saw the reality he lived in as decadent and in civilizational decay. He compared his homeland, Florence to Babylon and said it was ruled by the lazy, dumb and malicious. The solution for that problem in his opinion was his concept of universal European monarchy. In Dante's opinion an Emperor already possesses everything so he can't fall to greed or envy. Alighieri's Universal Empire was to become a state that would fulfill all needs of its subjects, both material welfare and spiritual salvation. The Emperor was to be the servant of his people's, of which the dominant one would be Italians as the inheritors of Rome.

Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination Napoleon Bonaparte

Another influence on Eurofederalism was French Emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte. The conquests of the First French Empire were another attempt to unite all of the European continent under single authority. They also had a significant influence in spreading the ideas of constitutionalism, nationalism and republicanism to all European nations. According to Felix Markham, during a conversation on St. Helena, Napoleon Bonaparte himself remarked: "Europe thus divided into nationalities freely formed and free internally, peace between States would have become easier: the United States of Europe would become a possibility".

Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination Pan-Europa Movement

The Pan-Europa movement was created shortly after the publication of Richard von Coudenhove-Kalergi's 1923 manifesto Paneuropa, which presented the idea of a unified European State. This movement, led by Coudenhove-Kalergi and subsequently by Otto von Habsburg, is the oldest European unification movement. His ideas influenced Aristide Briand, who gave a speech in favour of a European Union in the League of Nations on 8 September 1929, and in 1930, who wrote his "Memorandum on the Organization of a Regime of European Federal Union" for the Government of France.

After World War II

Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination European Economic Community

Created as the continuation of European Coal and Steel Community, spearheaded by French and German Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination Christian Democrats, The EEC was meant to bind European nations together economically and bring their political and economic interests closer to prevent the possibility of another war between Europeans. While the EEC was far from anything resembling a federal state, it was something that Eurofederalists believed could in time evolve in a more integrated construct and someday a European Federation. One of EEC architects Jean Monnet believed that the EEC can be used as a tool for graudual centralization of political authority in Europe, justyfing it with common economic interest it would gradually turn into a Federal European Republic.

Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination Europe a Nation

Another Post-WW2 proponent of a united European state was a former Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination British Fascist leader Oswald Mosley. In his book The Alternative publicized in 1947, he argued that the traditional vision of nationalism that had been followed by the various shades of pre-war fascism had been too narrow in scope and that the post-war era required a new paradigm in which Europe would come together as a single state. Although Mosley rejected any notions for Federal Europe, instead calling for creation of a unitary European fascist republic, his idea of Europe a Nation was the first example of a far-right vision of united Europe.

Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination Eurocommunists

Eurocommunists were a revisionist communist movement, that said they had developed a theory and practice of social transformation more relevant for Western Europe. One of the founding fathers of the European Union, Altiero Spinelli was a prominent figure among the Eurocommunist movement. After the war, Spinelli, leading the European Federalist Movement, played an important role in the early episodes of European integration, criticising the small steps approach and the dominance of intergovernmentalism, feeling even that the chance to unite Europe had been missed as sovereign states were re-established without any common bond other than the functionalist OEEC and the largely symbolic Council of Europe. Even the European Coal and Steel Community was felt to be too sectoral. The EFM believed governments alone would never relinquish their national power without popular pressure. They advocated a European constituent assembly to draft a European Constitution.

Modern World

Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination European Union

Just like with its predecessor, EEC, Eurofederalists see the modern EU as another stepping stone on the process of federalization. The debate between the future of EU is currently focused between 2 direction it may take. The decentralized "Europe of Nations" which is supported by people that would like to come back to more purely economic cooperation of EEC and "United States of Europe" which is supported by people that believe in Eurofederalism. One of the leading Eurofederalist organizations, other than the old European Federalist Movement, that works within the framework of the European Union is the Pan-European Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination technoliberal party called Volt Europa.

Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination Identitarians Error creating thumbnail: Unable to save thumbnail to destination

Identitarians generally dismiss the European Union as "corrupt" and "authoritarian". While Identitarian movement remains under the strong influence of ethnonationalism that prevents it from completely embracing the Eurofederalist idea, voices for a creation of Pan-European political body to protect European civilization from influences of Chinese and Americans are common among its members.

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