TY - JOUR
T1 - European disintegration?
T2 - the sources of extremism
AU - Espada, João Carlos
PY - 2012/10
Y1 - 2012/10
N2 - The EU is experiencing a somewhat paradoxical phenomenon. On the one hand, it has been a tremendously successful club, promoting democracy and open societies within its borders and in its neighborhoods. On the other hand, the language of national rivalry and of class struggle is re-entering public discourse, especially within the eurozone. The way to solve the paradox is to democratize, or trivialize, the issue of the euro. This means that the euro ought to have a clear exit clause. This, in its turn, means that European democratic elites should learn from their counterparts in the English-speaking democracies—where democracy is a way of life and not a means to achieving a particular purpose. European democrats should me more open to losing an argument about specific purposes, including the euro in its present format, if they really want to strengthen democracy in Europe.
AB - The EU is experiencing a somewhat paradoxical phenomenon. On the one hand, it has been a tremendously successful club, promoting democracy and open societies within its borders and in its neighborhoods. On the other hand, the language of national rivalry and of class struggle is re-entering public discourse, especially within the eurozone. The way to solve the paradox is to democratize, or trivialize, the issue of the euro. This means that the euro ought to have a clear exit clause. This, in its turn, means that European democratic elites should learn from their counterparts in the English-speaking democracies—where democracy is a way of life and not a means to achieving a particular purpose. European democrats should me more open to losing an argument about specific purposes, including the euro in its present format, if they really want to strengthen democracy in Europe.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84871593177&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1353/jod.2012.0060
DO - 10.1353/jod.2012.0060
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84871593177
SN - 1045-5736
VL - 23
SP - 15
EP - 22
JO - Journal of Democracy
JF - Journal of Democracy
IS - 4
ER -