Ideology, constitutional culture and institutional change: the EU constitution as reflection of Europe’s emergent postmodernism

Abstract

Using the example of the European Constitution, this paper argues that ideology plays a much more important role in institutional change than has been indicated hitherto in the literature. Rather than being an intellectual parlor-game, Postmodernism has emerged through European high culture to find its voice in the new Constitution. Although it was rejected by a critical mass of voters, the proposed Constitution offers a telling glimpse into the European intellectual mindset – especially since politicians are now bruiting the possibility of ratifying the constitution via compliant legislatures rather than fickle referenda. Anomalies in the document are better explained by the post-World War Two emergence of postmodern philosophy in Europe than by more traditional explanations from political economy.European constitution, postmodernism, political economy, institutional change