Product Description

Integration is the most significant European historical development in the past fifty years, eclipsing in importance even the collapse of the USSR. Yet, until now, no satisfactory explanation is to be found in any single book as to why integration is significant, how it originated, how it has changed Europe, and where it is headed. Professor Gillingham’s work corrects the inadequacies of the existing literature by cutting through the genuine confusion that surrounds the activities of the European Union, and by looking at his subject from a truly historical perspective. The late-twentieth century has been an era of great, though insufficiently appreciated, accomplishment that intellectually and morally is still emerging from the shadow of an earlier one of depression, and modern despotism. This is a work, then, that captures the historical distinctiveness of Europe in a way that transcends current party political debate.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #471001 in Books
• Published on: 2003-06-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 608 pages

Review
‘John Gillingham’s fascinating history of European integration brings out the shifts of gears, changes of direction and divergent impulses that brought the European Union to its present established but contested shape as the triumph of market over state. Gillingham wanted his book to ‘trumpet like an elephant’, and it does. To extend his metaphor, it gores any number of sacred cows, from the myths of the Founding Fathers and of American benevolence to the European social model. It will stimulate lively and constructive debate.’ Robert O. Paxton, Columbia University

‘John Gillingham is the pre-eminent American historian of the European Union. His book builds on vast scholarly knowledge to provide the first full-length history of European integration from the Second World War to the present day.’ Charles S. Maier, Harvard University

‘Professor John Gillingham’s sweeping reinterpretation of European integration since 1950 is informed, provocative, and fresh. It combines a deep appreciation of the market incentives that have made European cooperation inevitable, a subtle account of the ideologies and diplomatic circumstances that shaped its precise form, and a sharp Hayekian critique of the policy choices that were made. It is sure to generate scholarly debate for years to come.’ Andrew Moravcsik, Harvard University

‘John Gillingham has produced an excellent, up-to-date history of the EU which overturns many preconceived ideas and challenges the views of Eurofanatics and Eurosceptics alike. It is a dazzling performance, full of paradoxes and ironies and some very funny lines. If anyone wants to know what little actually works in the EU and why, this is the book to read. It is acidly critical yet economically rational. It leaves the usual hagiographical histories of European bureaucracy way behind. Every student of post-war Europe will have to come to terms with it. It is an astounding achievement.’ Alan Sked, Department of International History, London School of Economics, formerly Convener of European Studies

‘The European Union is very difficult to write about, because it can be bewilderingly technical, and at the same time invites windy rhetoric. It takes immense familiarity with the subject - and particular knowledge of what are still very different countries - to write a book both accessible and worth reading. John Gillingham has succeeded. This is a book that will be of great use at any level - politicians wishing to make serious speeches, teachers needing to put together a course, or just travellers in an aircraft. I am in the author’s debt.’ Norman Stone, Director of the Turkish-Russian Institute, Bilkent University, Ankara, formerly of Oxford University

‘… as close to gripping as an academic history of European integration is ever likely to get … The fact that Gillingham hails from the United States should not fool readers into expecting a dispassionate analysis of the EU, past, present and future. The book will prove stimulating to all followers of EU affairs’ Eurobusiness

‘The great virtue of Mr Gillingham’s book is that, unlike many other works on the subject, it describes European Union developments against the background of the European political economy. Although Mr Gillingham has strong views, his main concern is to record and explain events’ Samuel Brittan

‘The great virtue of Mr Gillingham’s book is that, unlike many other works on the subject, it describes European Union developments against the background of the European political economy …’. Financial Times

‘… remarkably well-written and entertaining …’. Journal of European Affairs

'Few previous works are so extensive or so up-to-date. His is thus a significant work that is likely to be widely read, and is worthy of a close critical examination … impressive sweep of this work … should be warmly welcomed … of substantial value to students, as well as a broader educated public seeking a comprehensive source of information about integration.' International Affairs

Customer Reviews

A five-star history of post-war Europe
I was advised to get this for my university course (European Studies) by one of my lecturers, and I have to say I was glad I took his advice!

For a history of European integration from 1950 to the present day I can say honestly there is not an account that is as sharp, as lucid and as approachable as this one. Certainly for essays, and for preparing for seminars this book is ideal. In particular, it deals with recent developments in masterful detail- relevant for understanding the questions concerning the future of Europe, as 10 new Eastern European states are about to enter the EU.

If you are doing a course on European History since 1945, or just wish to find out more about the question of Europe; then I absolutely recommend this book. It is very detailed without being turgid, full of sharp prose that makes the history of Europe come alive. It is precisely what you want with a book in this genre. A five-star history.

Interesting and provocative revisionist approach to the EU
I much enjoyed reading Prof Gillinghams' book. I work at the EU institutes in Brussels myself and read many books on the EU and European history. I was therefore skeptical in the beginning on 'yet another book on the EU'. However, I was positively surprised and learned a lot that was new to me from this thorough, provocative, detailed yet also wide historical analysis of modern European integration. In its critical approach the book reminded me of Andrew Moravscik 'Messina to Maastricht' which the author also mentions.

Having acknowledged the author on a very impressive job that no student of EU can now ignore, I also have the following points. At times I found the book quite depressing in how very negative it often seems toward European integration in the first place and the role of the Member States and the EU institutes, notably the Commission, reading like a long list of lamentations of how stupid, ignorant, pigheaded etc. etc. it behaved. I would actually agree with many criticisms on EU institutes like the Commission, especially in the field of R&D support progammes, and also on the long list of very relevant and insightful criticisms on the CAP for which mainly the MS are to be blamed. Nevertheless, at times the writer seems to go over the top with criticisms that seem more at home in a bar than as serious analysis, for instance on on 'overpaid lazy EC officials'. More serious perhaps is the treatment of EMU. I would fully agree that it was more driven by politics than economics, but I think the author sells EMU short and does not give a balanced account of costs and benefits. For instance, the fact the the introduction of EMU was not necessarily on an optimal currency area does not invalidate the project; Rather than wait for that to appear, if ever, EMU can also be taken as helping to create or push toward such optimality in the first place. Also, no or hardly any mention is made of the often significantly lower interest rates that EMU allowed for many EU MS, notably the Southern ones.

The way forward for the EU as suggested by the auhtor, with effective democracy in action and real, rather than professed, subsidiarity made a lot of sense to me and indeed seems where a workable future lies; this can no longer be an elitist technocratic project where many people feel alienated.

In the last chapter the author seems to turn around and praises the men and women who have been working very hard toward European integration, which, after relentless criticism throughout the book looks a bit odd.

As stated earlier, I would much recommend this book for any serious student of the EU.