Why did the European idea become necessary after 1945?
1. The Origins of Political Europe
- The trauma of war. If the European idea is old, it experienced a revival during the Second World War, especially among the Resistance. By bringing people closer together, European integration seems to be the best way to guarantee peace and post-war economic reconstruction.
- A movement for the future. This is why the European associations multiply after 1945. For example, the European Union of Federalists, which brings together some fifty associations, was created in 1946. The European idea is mainly carried by two political families: Christian democracy And social democracy.
- The bipolarization of the world from 1947 onwards will allow the European states to maintain a certain political weight in front of the two big superpowers the USA and the USSR.
2. Several projects for Europe
- A common goal: a democratic Europe. Marked by totalitarianism, the Europeanists see European integration as a means of promoting liberal democracy and human rights.
- Two currents: federalists and unionists. Unionists are in favor of simple co-operation between states, respecting their sovereignty. The federalists want a supranational Europe in which the states would renounce a large part of their sovereignty. This difference still persists today.
3. The HAGUE congress (1948) and its consequences
- The meeting of all the Europeanists. In May 1948, under the presidency of W.CHURCHILL, 800 delegates from 18 countries met in The Hague. 3 commissions are put in place (economic and social, political and cultural) to think about ways to unify Europe.
Despite the divergences, this congress marks the renewal of the European idea, a message to the Europeans is then drafted defining the idea of the future European construction.
- A first limited achievement: the main result of this congress is the birth of the Council of Europe, its aim is to promote political, economic and cultural cooperation between European states and to defend European civilization and human rights.
- Many opponents. However, there is also a strong anti-European sentiment. The Communist parties in Europe are hostile to this idea because they are confined to the USSR. In France, the Gaullists oppose any federal construction that would undermine national sovereignty.