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Showing Ideas as Causes: The Origins of the European Union

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  • Parsons, Craig

Abstract

Why did Western Europe create uniquely strong international institutions in the 1950s, setting the foundations for today's quasi-federal European Union? This article contests explanations of the European Economic Community (EEC) as a straightforward response to structural interdependence, or as an institutionally “path-dependent†variation on such a response. Only leadership based on certain ideas explains why Europeans created the EEC rather than pursuing cooperation within weaker institutions or standard diplomatic instruments. In France—the only major state that insisted on the “community†framework—divided preferences and issue-linkages created “multiple equilibria†that allowed leaders to mobilize support for several European strategies. The EEC strategy was selected over viable alternatives by leaders who stood out from their party, bureaucratic, sectoral, and regional allies in holding certain ideas about Europe. This demonstration of the major, distinct impact of ideas offers concrete support to the growing theoretical literature on ideas and norms.

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  • Parsons, Craig, 2002. "Showing Ideas as Causes: The Origins of the European Union," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 56(1), pages 47-84, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:intorg:v:56:y:2002:i:01:p:47-84_44
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    Cited by:

    1. Per M. Norheim-Martinsen, 2010. "Beyond Intergovernmentalism: European Security and Defence Policy and the Governance Approach," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48, pages 1351-1365, November.
    2. Kai Liu & Wen Liu, 2015. "The Development of EU Law in the Field of Occupational Health and Safety: A New Way of Thinking," Management and Labour Studies, XLRI Jamshedpur, School of Business Management & Human Resources, vol. 40(3-4), pages 207-238, August.
    3. Odelia Oshri & Tamir Sheafer & Shaul R Shenhav, 2016. "A community of values: Democratic identity formation in the European Union," European Union Politics, , vol. 17(1), pages 114-137, March.
    4. Léger Félix Ntienjom Mbohou, 2023. "Understanding the role of institutions in the multiple streams approach through the recognition of the diaspora as a development agent in Cameroon," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 56(2), pages 355-376, June.
    5. Eichengreen, Barry, 2002. "Lessons of the Euro for the Rest of the World," Institute of European Studies, Working Paper Series qt16g425jb, Institute of European Studies, UC Berkeley.
    6. William R. Lowry, 2009. "Policy Changes on Canada's Rivers: Different but not Isolated," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 26(6), pages 783-800, November.
    7. Vincent Della Sala, 2010. "Political Myth, Mythology and the European Union," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(1), pages 1-19, January.
    8. Schäfer, Armin, 2003. "Stabilizing postwar Europe: Aligning domestic and international goals," MPIfG Working Paper 03/8, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies.
    9. Daniel Béland & John Myles, 2008. "Policy Change in the Canadian Welfare State: Comparing the Canada Pension Plan and Unemployment Insurance," Social and Economic Dimensions of an Aging Population Research Papers 235, McMaster University.
    10. Eduardo Araral & Alberto Asquer & Yahua Wang, 2017. "Regulatory Constructivism: Application of Q Methodology in Italy and China," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 31(8), pages 2497-2521, June.
    11. Egor Fedotov, 2017. "Host governments, national minorities, and minorities’ kin states: assessing the triadic nexus," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 3(1), pages 1-5, December.
    12. Vincent Della Sala, 2010. "Political Myth, Mythology and the European Union," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48, pages 1-19, January.
    13. Parsons, Craig & Richardson, J. David, 2004. "Lessons for Asia?: European experiences--in American perspective--in legitimizing market integration," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 14(6), pages 885-907, January.
    14. Sabine Saurugger, 2016. "Sociological Approaches to the European Union in Times of Turmoil," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(1), pages 70-86, January.
    15. Per M. Norheim‐Martinsen, 2010. "Beyond Intergovernmentalism: European Security and Defence Policy and the Governance Approach," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(5), pages 1351-1365, November.
    16. Christoph O. Meyer & Eva Strickmann, 2011. "Solidifying Constructivism: How Material and Ideational Factors Interact in European Defence," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(1), pages 61-81, January.
    17. Stéphanie C. Hofmann, 2011. "Why Institutional Overlap Matters: CSDP in the European Security Architecture," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(1), pages 101-120, January.
    18. Urwana Coiquaud & Lucie Morissette, 2022. "The politics of Uber in Quebec. A discursive institutionalist study," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(1), pages 91-108, January.

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