L'EUROPE SAINT-SIMONIENNE

Abstract

Many people have been preoccupied with Europe ever since the beginnings of time. Their ideas can be traced back as far as ancient mythology, as attempts to explain the world. But as of the 18th century, they looked at it differently, as an organized, unified, political institution. Numerous essays have influenced the history of the "European" idea, among them the work of Saint-Simon who, in 1814, thought of a European Parliament governing the national parliaments. In his essay on reorganizing the European society he brought forth ideas such as Europe rebuilt as a confederation, the establishment of a "general parliament" responsible for making decisions concerning the common interests of the whole European society. He strongly believed that putting the great political issues to the test is the aim of all contemporary efforts. If the previous century's philosophy was revolutionary, the 19th's century's philosophy had to be organizing.Industrialization, modernization, social engineering, European Parliament