Mitterrand and the great European design—from the Cold War to the European Union

François Mitterrand had a leading role in directing the course for the European integration process. While he orchestrated the economic integration of Europe, he remained deeply opposed to further political integration within the Communities. This article researches Mitterrand’s rationale for his clear focus on economic affairs and develops his vision for the institutional setting of the European Union (EU). The focus of the article is allocated to four different perspectives that reflect the four pillars of Mitterrand’s European policy: the common currency, the establishment of a closely integrated and small Western European based EU, the development of the Social Europe and of a free trade area between Europe and Africa. It is argued that although EU institutions have been established based on Mitterrand’s design, today’s reality deviates from the conditions on which his plan was based. For Mitterrand, the ideal EU involved a deep-rooted Western Europe with France at its core and a loose association with Central and Eastern Europe. His perception resembles the current discussions of multi-speed Europe and the determination of France and Germany to proceed to the next stage of the integration process. Importantly, Mitterrand’s print can still be recognised in the EU’s social policy included in the treaties, yet still far from being implemented. Notably, like all of the French Presidents, Mitterrand developed a design for Africa in which an extensive free trade area between Europe and former French colonies were to be established. In this proposal, Germany was to be assigned the part of the economic engine behind the actualisation of the proposal, while France was to carry out the role of a required middle man of the transactions. To further assure France’s political predominance over the Communities, Mitterrand designed a common currency for a small number of homogenous Western-European states

El sistema de servidumbre en Estonia: visión general e influencia sueca

Este artículo está basado en una investigación sobre el sistema servil en Estonia y como la dominación sueca influyó en la vida cotidiana de los siervos estonios. La relevancia del tema viene dada por la peculiaridad del caso estonio que viene determinada por el carácter nacional del sistema ya que la masa campesina estaba compuesta casi exclusivamente por estonios, y por lo avanzado de las medidas suecas en materia social. El territorio que hoy configura Estonia fue ocupado durante siglos por distintos pueblos y potencias extranjeras, como los alemanes Bálticos, los daneses, los suecos, incluso por un breve periodo de tiempo los polacos, y finalmente los rusos. Aun hoy en día se hace referencia al periodo dorado, o los buenos tiempos suecos, para hablar de la ocupación sueca por lo que supuso para los derechos de la mayor parte de la población. La investigación revela ese carácter diferenciador y lo evidencia con diversas comparaciones temporales con otras partes de Europa.</p

Serfdom System In Estonia: Overview And Swedish Influence

This article is based on a research about the serfdom system in Estonia and how the Swedish domination influenced the daily life of the Estonian peasants. The relevance of this topic emanates from the Estonian peculiarity determined by the national essence of the system because the farmer frame was formed exclusively by national Estonians and because of the socially advance Swedish actions. The current territory of Estonia was occupied for several foreign people and powers, as the Baltic Germans, the Danish, Swedes, even for a short period Polish and Russians. Still currently the Swedish period is referred as the golden times, or the good Swedish time, because it has a positive print of the serf’s lives. The research reveals these differences and exposes them with several temporal comparisons with other parts of Europe. Este artículo está basado en una investigación sobre el sistema servil en Estonia y como la dominación sueca influyó en la vida cotidiana de los siervos estonios. La relevancia del tema viene dada por la peculiaridad del caso estonio que viene determinada por el carácter nacional del sistema ya que la masa campesina estaba compuesta casi exclusivamente por estonios, y por lo avanzado de las medidas suecas en materia social. El territorio que hoy configura Estonia fue ocupado durante siglos por distintos pueblos y potencias extranjeras, como los alemanes Bálticos, los daneses, los suecos, incluso por un breve periodo de tiempo los polacos, y finalmente los rusos. Aun hoy en día se hace referencia al periodo dorado, o los buenos tiempos suecos, para hablar de la ocupación sueca por lo que supuso para los derechos de la mayor parte de la población. La investigación revela ese carácter diferenciador y lo evidencia con diversas comparaciones temporales con otras partes de Europa

The European Agricultural Crisis (1919-1931): From Nansen Management of International Humanitarian Aid during the Famine in the USSR to the Common European Agricultural Market.

The research conducted focused on the humanitarian aid link with the famine in Russia, mainly organized by Fridtjof Nansen. The international action targeted millions of lives, even though the Bolshevik Authorities limited its impact. The great famine of 1921 in Russia provoked a wide humanitarian movement in Europe and America. While Bolshevik Russia remained diplomatically isolated until 1924, the nongovernmental humanitarian organizations played a significant role in establishing contacts on both sides of the cordon sanitaire. The International Relief Committee to Russia and the “Nansen Mission,” appeared to be among the most far-reaching in their dealings with the Bolsheviks during the Bolshevik-led international relief campaigns to Russia in the early twenties. Therefore, this research focus on how Nansen achieved such success on such a delicate social and political time of instability. Finally, the proposal for a common agricultural market is analyzed as an instrument to overcome the European agrarian crisis.La investigación realizada se centró en el vínculo de la ayuda humanitaria con la hambruna en Rusia, organizada principalmente por Fridtjof Nansen. La acción internacional apuntó a millones de vidas, aunque las autoridades soviéticas limitaron su impacto. La gran hambruna de 1921 en Rusia provocó un amplio movimiento humanitario en Europa y América. Si bien la Rusia soviética permaneció aislada diplomáticamente hasta 1924, las organizaciones humanitarias no gubernamentales desempeñaron un papel importante en el establecimiento de contactos a ambos lados del cordón sanitario. El Comité Internacional de Socorro a Rusia y la “Misión Nansen” parecían estar entre los de mayor alcance en sus tratos con los bolcheviques durante las campañas de socorro internacional dirigidas por los bolcheviques a Rusia a principios de los años veinte. Por lo tanto, esta investigación se centra en cómo Nansen logró tal éxito en un momento de inestabilidad social y política tan delicado. Finalmente, se analiza la propuesta de un mercado común agrícola como instrumento para superar la crisis agraria europea

Europos parlamentas : praeitis, dabartis ir ateitis

Šis straipsnis apima Europos Parlamento įsteigimą, istorinį vystymąsi, dabartinę padėtį ir jo ateitį, Jame mokslinė analizė yra grindžiama požiūriais iš skirtingų disciplinų, pabrėžiant šios institucijos politinį vaidmenį, kadangi Europos integracijos procese ji pradeda vykdyti pagrindinę rolę. ES Parlamento ateitis yra esminė Sąjungos ateičiai, dėl jos šiame straipsnyje pateikiama įvairių pasiūlymų.The article covers the foundation, historical development, current situation and future of the European Parliament. The scientific analysis is based on a multidisciplinary approach with emphasis on the political role of the institution as it is starting to play a central role in the European integration. The future of the EU parliament is a key question for the future of the Union and is addressed by different proposals developed in this article

Winston Churchill y el proceso de construcción europea

Winston Churchill has been one of the most influential people of the 20th century. His achievements as a writer, historian, adventurer, soldier, artist and politician give him a spectacular aura of prestige. The problem on which this research revolves is Churchill's real position on European integration, which is a figure that has been used by supporters of British exclusion from the European Union. Both positions are clashing; hence there is an inappropriate use of the figure of Churchill that this research aims to clarify. The research question revolves around whether Churchill supported European integration or whether, on the contrary, he was against his country's participation in the process of European building process. The essential methodology of the research has been based on the analysis of primary sources. To know Churchill's position on the European integration process and British participation in it, the research has selected numerous speeches, articles and books by Churchill himself, giving word to the main object of investigation. The results of this research are highly important at the current time marked by the negotiations on BREXIT and its hard or soft character. The position of Churchill, here analysed, reveals that the relations between Europe and the United Kingdom based on integration at least economic should be a priority.Winston Churchill ha sido una de las personas más influyentes del siglo XX. Sus logros como escritor, historiador, aventurero, soldado, artista y político le confieren una espectacular aura de prestigio. El problema sobre el cual gira esta investigación es la posición real de Churchill sobre la integración europea, ya que su figura es utilizada tanto por los partidarios de la exclusión británica de la Unión Europea. Ambas posiciones son contrarias por lo que evidentemente existe un uso inapropiado de la figura de Churchill que esta investigación pretende esclarecer. La pregunta de investigación gira en torno a si Churchill apoya la integración europea o si, por el contrario, estaba en contra de la participación de su país en el proceso de construcción europea. La metodología esencial de la investigación se ha basado en el análisis de fuentes primarias. Para conocer la postura de Churchill sobre el proceso de integración europea y la participación británica en el mismo, la investigación ha seleccionado numerosos discursos, artículos y libros del propio Churchill, dándole voz al principal objeto de investigación. Los resultados de esta investigación cobran gran actualidad en el actual momento marcado por las negociaciones sobre el BREXIT y su carácter duro o blando, ya que la posición de Churchill aquí desarrollado pone en evidencia que las relaciones entre Europa y el Reino Unido deberían ser fluidas y basadas en una integración cuando menos económica

The British Position towards European Integration: A Different Economic and Political Approach

The United Kingdom has had an important position in Europe for centuries. Often it is seen as an anti-European country, or as being anti-integration in Europe but it is just defending its own interests, which in many cases hare differed from other members of the European Communities. The UK policy towards European cooperation has been influenced by the particular interest of the country, but there has always been a strong relation between the British and Europe. Great Britain had the biggest empire in human history spread all over the globe, and hence its interest was global rather than limited to local European states. The UK was a victorious country in the Second World War, the only Western European state that participated actively in Nazi defeat. As an important consequence, British nationalism was seen as a positive force to unite all the British against an external threat. During centuries, the British economy has been based on trade, and internationally the government supported and expanded the free trade idea in the world economy to European trade relations. This paper analyzes the main issues that explain the special relations between the EU and the UK. The paper is developed from a historical point of view with a methodology’ based on the critical review of historical facts from a global perspective of the whole traditional approach of the UK towards European integration

Margaret Thatcher: ¿precursora del brexit o europeísta ambigua?

Margaret Thatcher has been one of the most influential politicians in the European building process as she was the head of one of the most outstanding member states of Europe. Numerous British and European citizens continue to share her ideas currently so her importance goes beyond her period in politics. Her participation in different European developments such as the Single European Act or the British Rebate has consequences that still affect the whole of Europe. In addition, the iconic strength of his figure has been widely used during the campaign that preceded the British referendum that led to the brexit. The present investigation explores the figure of Thatcher from a unique perspective when analyzing her contributions to the process of European construction in the context of her contributions and her concerns to the integration process. The direct analysis of her actions and her statements regarding European integration are the basic pillar of the research carried out, with the aim of clarifying Thatcher’s position with regard to the European Union. Therefore, primary sources are essential, complementing secondary sources of high academic quality that have treated the subject tangentially. The problem of separating myth from reality, of discerning a character highly manipulated by different political actors to take advantage of her popularity, even today high, has been the greatest challenge of this research, whose results clearly reflect a Thatcher united to Europe, but not to the European Union.Margaret Hilda Thatcher ha sido una de las políticas más influyentes en el proceso de construcción europea desde su liderazgo del Reino Unido durante un periodo de cambio y profundización en Europa. Su popularidad entre británicos y europeos es todavía alta y sus ideas liberales continúan de actualidad. La participación de la mujer de Estado británica en cuestiones cruciales como el Acta Única Europea o el cheque británico ha tenido consecuencias que afectan aún al conjunto de Europa. Asimismo, la fuerza icónica de su figura ha sido ampliamente utilizada con fines partidistas durante la campaña que precedió al referéndum británico que ha desembocado en el brexit. La presente investigación indaga sobre la figura de Thatcher desde una perspectiva singular, analizando sus contribuciones al avance del proceso de construcción europea y su bloqueo a la integración en algunos campos. El análisis directo de sus acciones, amén de sus frecuentes declaraciones respecto a la integración europea, son el pilar básico de la investigación realizada, cuyo objetivo es desenmarañar la posición de Thatcher con respecto a la Unión Europea. Las fuentes primarias son cardinales en la pesquisa, y se complementan con fuentes secundarias de alta calidad académica que han tratado el tema perpendicularmente. El problema de separar el mito de la realidad, de discernir el personaje real de la imagen, altamente manipulada por diversas corrientes para aprovecharse de su popularidad hoy en día aun alta, ha sido el mayor reto de esta investigación

Historical errors in the initial conception of the euro and its subsequent development

ABSTRACT In 1992, the European Council launched the economic and monetary union (EMU). The inception of the euro followed in 1999. Ever since, the EMU has experienced severe malfunctions, not least during the recent Eurozone crisis of 2010. To understand the current Eurozone (EZ) conundrum, it is necessary to analyse the circumstances under which the EMU was designed. Throughout its development, former French President François Mitterrand proved to be a central figure due to his ability to influence the European integration process. Against the backdrop of German reunification, Mitterrand succeeded in obtaining the creation of an EMU from Germany. However, he thereafter failed to prevent the same union from being shaped according to the German model. This contribution argues that Mitterrand’s inability to form the EMU according to his own ideals partly explains the structural failures of the EZ

Winston Churchill and the European Union

Given Winston Churchill’s influence and achievement as a writer, historian, adventurer, soldier, artist, and politician, his participation in the European integration process is crucial to understanding the entire scope of the project in its origins. Churchill was a fundamental voice promoting the Franco-British Union, a promoter of the European Communities, and an active participant of the Congress of Europe, embryo of the Council of Europe. This article analyzes Churchill’s view of European integration through his political speeches, in particular those delivered in Zurich and in The Hague, his ideas about the League of Nations and the United Nations, his understanding of the British Empire, and the special relations between the UK and the USA. His participation in the process of uniting Europe in its early stages provides us with essential information about the original plans for the creation of a united Europe and understanding the traditional British approach to the EU, including the current position of the conservative government led by Cameron