It is a well-known fact, even to those with the most rudimentary knowledge of
European history and its complications, that Europe has been a particularly
bellicose and belligerent continent for most of its history. However, one can
say that, throughout much of this history, Europeans have always been concerned
— sometimes to the point of obsession — with not only how to limit the damage
they inflict on each other and the rest of the world but also with how to
eliminate war altogether.
اضافة اعلان
The first of
these attempts began in 1713 with the appearance of the long treatise entitled
“A Project for Stability and Perpetual Peace in Europe,” written by someone
obscure at the time, the French diplomat Abbe de St-Pierre. This was one of
many such projects.
All those
projects together, including Immanuel Kant’s “Perpetual Peace” in 1795, sought
to bring peace not only to Europe but also to the world, and they started
attracting attention. Kant envisaged a future European Federation drawn
together through the beneficial effects of trade and framed ambitiously in the
Treaty of the EU and ruled by a council on which the princes of each of the
member states would sit. All the disputes that arose across the continent would
be resolved by this council without threatening the sovereignty of any of the
member states. All that was required in this highly ambitious plan that brought
together the sovereigns of Europe was a single act of collective will.
The next stage
was what began in 1814–1815 with the final destruction and defeat of the
Napoleonic Empire. The great European powers at the time, Britain, Russia,
Austria, and Prussia, gathered in Vienna to create what they termed “The
Concert Of Europe.” This was supposed to be an open-ended series of conferences
held at regular intervals to deal with any international crisis, maintain the
balance of power, and establish governments throughout the continent of Europe
based on the monarchical principle.
Europeans have always been concerned — sometimes to the point of obsession — with not only how to limit the damage they inflict on each other and the rest of the world but also with how to eliminate war altogether.
Later on, the
establishment of the League of Nations in 1920 marked the start of the third
phase towards the EU. Similarly, it was intended to bring perpetual peace to
Europe and globally. However, for all that the League of Nations is accused of,
it was not such a dismal failure as usually described. It was intended that, to
some degree, Europe would regulate behavior not only between states but also
within them.
In 1951, the
Treaty of Paris marked the fourth attempt at uniting Europe with the modest
objective of the European Coal and Steel Community. The treaty stated that
Europe could only be built through practical achievements in terms of creating
real solidarity and through the establishment of common bases for economic
development. This is often referred to as the “Monnet Method”.
The point was
taken. And as it turned out, peaceful political order could never be created by
treaties aiming to change everything at once and for good. It requires multiple
treaties that would create a spreading web of international activities and
agencies, capable of making continuous forays into a new area using already
available resources.
Herein lies the
secret of the continuity and success of the EU: It moves forward, both
gradually and in stages. It is pragmatic, realist, and adaptable. As a result,
for all its setbacks and failings, it has been a remarkable success.
The writer is a former private adviser to HRH Prince
El Hassan bin Talal.
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