SUPRANATIONALISMand DEVOLUTION

Political GeographyChapter 8

European Regions

• Western Europe

• The British Isles

• Nordic Europe

• Mediterranean Europe

• Eastern Europe

WHAT DOES THEFUTURE HOLDFOR EUROPE?

•UNIFICATION?•INSTABILITY?

Supranationalism• A venture involving three or more states• Political, economic, and/or cultural

cooperation to promote shared objectives

New “Euro”Currency

European Supranationalism

Why would anyone want to give away international autonomy, one of the most sought after goals in this century?

1944 Benelux

Agreement

•Netherlands•Belgium•Luxembourg

HAVE MUCH IN COMMON LINGUISTICALLY AND ECONONOMICALLY

Primary function of the OEEC

To accept and distribute funds allocated under the Marshall Plan

Developed by the U.S. to assist the rebuilding of European countries at the end of WW II

History of European Supranationalism

Examples of European Supranationalism

European Union (EU)

• Original Members: (12) Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK

• Established: 7 February 1992• Effective: 1 November 1993• Aimed to coordinate policy among the

members in three fields: -- economics -- defense-- justice and home affairs

European Union Members Today

• Belgium• Netherlands• Luxembourg• France• Italy• Germany• Britain• Ireland

• Denmark• Greece• Spain• Portugal• Austria• Sweden• Finland

Today there are 27 members

European Supranationalism

•EU Members•Non-members •Prospective Members

SupranationalismProblems

• Loss of autonomy

• Disparities in levels of economic development

• Technical barriers

• Cultural barriers

DEVOLUTION

• The powerful centrifugal process whereby regions or people within a state demand and gain political strength and autonomy.

• Many of Europe’s devolutionary movements came from nations within a state that define themselves as distinct ethnically, linguistically, or religiously.

• Examples: Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia

BASQUE – devolutionary process

Within Spain there are independence movements in some of the autonomous regions, notably the regions of Catalonia, Basque country and Navarre. These are mostly peaceful but some, such as ETA and Terra Lliure, have used violent means.

SHATTERBELTS OF EUROPE

Does USA have any Devolutionary Pressures?

• YES! Hawai’i.• 1993 marked the 100-year anniversary of the

USA’s annexation of Hawai’i.• Local minority native Hawaiians demanded the

return of rights lost during the ‘occupation’.• This included the right to reestablish an

independent state called Hawai’i.• Unfortunately they lack numbers, resources and

influence to achieve their separatist aims.