Europe and the Causes of Globalization, 1790 to 2000

According to the recent declaration agreed by EU leaders at Laeken, the EU seeks to become ‘a power wanting to change the course of world affairs in such a way as to benefit not just the rich countries but also the poorest. A power seeking to set globalisation within a moral framework, to anchor it in solidarity and sustainable development’ (Irish Times, 17 December 2001). Indeed, globalization is identified by the declaration as one of the two key challenges facing the Union. The prominence given to this issue reflects in part the belief, shared by politicians and ‘anti-globalization’ protestors alike, that globalization is a new and unprecedented phenomenon. But is this in fact the case? And does Europe actually have anything to contribute to this process at the start of the twenty-first century? In this chapter, I trace the evolution of international economic integration over the past two centuries, and seek to explain that evolution, highlighting Europe’s role. I conclude by speculating about ways in which the EU may be able to inform the globalization debate over the coming decades.