Between yesterday and tomorrow
Subtitle: German visions of Europe, 1926-1950
By: Christian Bailey
Publisher: Berghahn; Berghahn Books
Published: 2013
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 259
ISBN-13: 9781782381396; 9781782381402
Subjects: Politics and government; European federation; History; Civil society; Socialism; Democracy
Description: An intellectual and cultural history of mid-twentieth century plans for European integration, this book calls into question the usual pre- and post-war periodizations that have structured approaches to twentieth-century European history. It focuses not simply on the ideas of leading politicians but analyses debates about Europe in "civil society" and the party-political sphere in Germany, asking if, and how, a "permissive consensus" was formed around the issue of integration. Taking Germany as its case study, the book offers context to the post-war debates, analysing the continuities that existed between interwar and post-war plans for European integration. It draws attention to the abiding scepticism of democracy displayed by many advocates of integration, indeed suggesting that groups across the ideological spectrum converged around support for European integration as a way of constraining the practice of democracy within nation-states.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages [211]-239) and index.
Table of contents: title: Making the case for Europe : transnational organizations and cultural journals; title: The defence of Europe in Merkur : Deutsche Zeitschrift für europäisches Denken; title: The Internationaler sozialistischer Kampfbund : from world revolution to European federalism; title: The rise and fall of a socialist Europe : the ISK and the SPD in opposition; title: An island surrounded by land : das Demokratische Deutschland in Switzerland; title: "Europe our fatherland, Bavaria our Heimat!" : das Demokratische Deutschland and the post-war trajectories of European federalism.