The Idealistic Spirit of European Integration: Education as an Example

• Autores: Thomas Hoerber
• Localización: Europe en formation: les cahiers du fédéralisme, ISSN-e 0154-9928, Nº. 388, 2019 (Ejemplar dedicado a: The future of EU-Africa relations), págs. 165-185
• Idioma: inglés
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo (htm)
• Resumen

  • In the immediate post-war years, European integration captured the imagination of politicians and ordinary citizens alike. This new Europe was a prospect for the future, in particular, for younger people of the next generation of European citizens. Education initiatives thus became a primary concern. Understanding between the youths seemed the way to overcome the devastation of the last war. An analysis of national education initiatives fostering European integration ideas will show some of the spirit of early European idealism and can also give some further indication on a broader support for European integration. The political intention to give it a grass-roots following was for the democratic leaders of the time the only legitimate basis for a prosperous and peaceful Europe.

    This paper will show some of the most interesting educational ideas of the early integration process showing it idealistic character. By adding additional breadth to the political analysis beyond government policies, it will consider contributions of MPs from the national parliaments of France, Germany and Britain. This evidence will comprehensively discount the argument of a ‘permissive consensus’ introduced by Inglehart and it will discount Milward’s economic argument as the main explanation of European integration