Verified Document

Government And Politics Of Europe Essay

The EU experienced a series of reforms during the 1990s with the purpose of stabilizing conditions in countries that experienced hardships and in order to reinforce the concept of democracy in these countries. One of the most important problems that the EU has in trying to promote democracy is the fact that its citizens are generally inclined to identify with their country more than they identify with the EU. "Despite the collapse in confidence in central government and in the national political system, there has been a growing identification on the part of young people with Italy as a country" (Loughlin 220). There are more people in Italy who are proud that they are Italians than individuals who are proud of being European citizens. This should not necessarily represent a threat for the concept of democracy in the Union, but it should influence the authorities in devising programs meant to educate individuals concerning their connection with the EU and the fact that democracy should not actually be opposed to nationalism. It is perfectly normal for one to love his or her country and to be democratic at the same time. In addition to putting across attitudes that deal with citizens as a whole, the EU should also focus on the individual needs of its people, as this is more likely to guarantee a better communication between actors within the EU and is probable to influence citizens in understanding the importance of democracy.

Although Europe is no longer focused on the concept of nation-state importance, its character as a supranational organization is difficult to understand from an ideological point-of-view. Mostly all communities in the EU are focused on creating strong connections between citizens and between nations with the purpose of influencing everyone in adopting democratic approaches in dealing with fellow members of the community. All members of the EU are provided with the authority to preserve and promote their own interests. Even with this, the fact that they are sometimes confused concerning what attitude they should employ in order for conditions to be stable for their citizens and for the EU as a whole makes it difficult for them to maintain a democratic position. It is, to a certain degree, probable that the...

And that the strategies that it used in the recent decades have made the community seem more like a republic than a democracy. European leaders have apparently intended the EU to be similar to a multipart republic that provided each state with power to control its citizens and to maintain a series of democratic principles (Fabbrini 4).
One might reach the conclusion that democracy is not necessarily what the EU needs in order to experience positive results. As long as peace is maintained within its borders and as long as European citizens are provided with a set of freedoms it appears that republican concepts are more beneficial for the EU. Even with this, the EU committee appears to have tried a series of tactics to ensure that citizens acknowledge the importance of democracy. While some of these actions have generated positive results, others failed to assist the EU in its try to become more democratic and emphasized the fact that the community does not focus enough on the individual needs of its citizens.

Works cited:

Fabbrini, Sergio, Democracy and federalism in the European Union and the United States: exploring post-national governance, (Routledge, 2005).

Follesdal, Andreas and Hix, Simon "Why there is a Democratic Deficit in the EU: a Response to Majone and Moravcsik," Retrieved February 22, 2012, from the Princeton University Website: http://www.google.ro/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=post-1992%20developments%20have%20failed%20to%20reduce%20the%20democratic%20deficit%20that%20exists%20at%20european%20union%20level%3F&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CDkQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.princeton.edu%2F~amoravcs%2Flibrary%2Fhix.doc&ei=8TlFT6XlEOr-4QSfv6iSAw&usg=AFQjCNFIuLq4RbWZgdFjavparhOMyAks3Q&sig2=4tF4mJTAd6z_SojWATfpJw

Longo, Michael "Conceptualising European Union Legitimacy through Democratic Participation,"Melbourne Journal of Politics

Loughlin, John, Subnational Democracy in the European Union: Challenges and Opportunities (Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 2004)

Oddvar Eriksen, Erik and Erik Fossum, John eds., Democracy in the European Union: Integration Through Deliberation? / (London: Routledge, 2000)

Sources used in this document:
Works cited:

Fabbrini, Sergio, Democracy and federalism in the European Union and the United States: exploring post-national governance, (Routledge, 2005).

Follesdal, Andreas and Hix, Simon "Why there is a Democratic Deficit in the EU: a Response to Majone and Moravcsik," Retrieved February 22, 2012, from the Princeton University Website: http://www.google.ro/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=post-1992%20developments%20have%20failed%20to%20reduce%20the%20democratic%20deficit%20that%20exists%20at%20european%20union%20level%3F&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CDkQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.princeton.edu%2F~amoravcs%2Flibrary%2Fhix.doc&ei=8TlFT6XlEOr-4QSfv6iSAw&usg=AFQjCNFIuLq4RbWZgdFjavparhOMyAks3Q&sig2=4tF4mJTAd6z_SojWATfpJw

Longo, Michael "Conceptualising European Union Legitimacy through Democratic Participation,"Melbourne Journal of Politics

Loughlin, John, Subnational Democracy in the European Union: Challenges and Opportunities (Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 2004)
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

American Government Politics
Words: 2631 Length: 10 Document Type: Term Paper

American Government Politics. Discussed is the fourth amendment and the current policies of searches and seizures. Four sources used. Footnotes. Fourth Amendment Americans hold very dear the Bill of Rights. Among the ten amendments that make up the Bill of Rights is the Fourth, one many refer to as the most ambiguous of the all the amendments. Search and seizure law is drawn from the Fourth and over the years the

Government Politics and Political Corruption Values
Words: 1102 Length: 4 Document Type: Annotated Bibliography

Introduction Corruption weakens the strength of a democracy, undermining public trust, and leading to a downward spiral of apathy and discontent. Low voter participation itself becomes a major factor perpetuating the possibility of corruption. A feeling of powerlessness pervades even the most robust of the world’s democracies. If democratic governments are to be responsive to the people they serve, corruption needs to be uprooted whenever it manifests. Reforming corruption and reducing

Politics of Estonia: Foreign and
Words: 1718 Length: 5 Document Type: Term Paper

V. Summary Point: Your State's Core Foreign Policy Position(s). Estonia as a whole, seeks to maintain its security and promote its national interest through a variety of means. It is now formally part of the European Union, with adoption of the Euro slated for 2011, and it is also a formal and active member of NATO. This allows Estonia to benefit from the technological, economic, and political capital that more powerful

Europe What Are the Top Two or
Words: 702 Length: 2 Document Type: Essay

Europe What are the top two or three reasons why Europe is facing a mid-life crisis? The NPR story by Eleanor Beardsley -- published in 2010 -- begins by pointing to the extraordinary benefits that citizens in Denmark and France are entitled to. The author says that healthcare is free in many EU countries, and education is also free, and if a couple has a child there are stipends in that eventuality

Europe Revolutions 1830,1848; WWI the
Words: 805 Length: 2 Document Type: Term Paper

Still the results of these revolutions were quite contradictive: France gained political freedoms for a short period of time, Italy was unified by monarchy was established, Austria-Hungary held political reforms against feudalism survivals, but in fact the very purposes were not realized. But their ideological role was vital, as their results led to the popularization of nationalist ideas in Europe, cultural unification of oppressed nations and further struggle for

Politics, Violence, Language: Political Plays of Harold Pinter
Words: 1773 Length: 5 Document Type: Dissertation

Politics of Violence in Pinter's Late Plays When Harold Pinter received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2005, he spoke quite directly about the subject of political theatre: Political theatre presents an entirely different set of problems. Sermonising has to be avoided at all cost. Objectivity is essential. The characters must be allowed to breathe their own air. The author cannot confine and constrict them to satisfy his own taste or disposition

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now