European integration: Scope and limits

Book abstract:

This book questions whether greater economic and political integration in Europe is beneficial to the countries involved and examines the negative aspects and limitations that may arise from such integration. It focuses on ideas that political union weakens democratic accountability and lack popular legitimacy. It also questions whether corruption scandals involving the European Commission, or heads of state who were involved in integration such as Chancellor Kohl and President Mitterand, have reduced arguments in favour of greater European integration.

The book begins with a section devoted to Britain and European integration. It consists of three chapters that focus on The Conservative Party. The first, written in 1994, looks at the Conservative party and its policy towards Europe. The second, written in 1997, examines the failure of John Major's policies on Europe while the policies on Europe followed by William Hague's Conservative party in 2001 are discussed in the third chapter. This is followed by a section that has three essays focusing on economic integration. The first, written in 1995, evaluates the transition from single market to single currency, the second written in 1996, examines the question of integrating the economies of East and West Europe, and finally the transatlantic implications of European Monetary Union are considered in an essay written in 1997. The final part looks at Political integration, presenting a case against European federal integration written in 1997, an examination of the Franco-German relationship from 1999, and finally a selection of book reviews relevant to the topic.

The book is aimed at students of the European Union. Martin Holmes is Lecturer in Politics at St. Hugh's College, Oxford. He is author of 'Beyond Europe' and editor of 'The Eurosceptical Reader'.