The Political Dynamics of the European Project

Abstract

The formation of the European Project is a well established event on the international political horizon. However, its enlargement accommodating additional member States has made it more complex, and fundamental questions about its future development have been raised. The creation of an entry point for a European Variable Geometry (EVG) was intended to simplify the political processes of the Project. However, some have been concerned EVG will spell its demise. This paper is interested in exploring the nature and political dynamics of the European Project. To do this it adopts as a frame of reference a paradigm called Knowledge Cybernetics (KC), and it uses the rise of the EVG as an examining trigger. The paper engages in theory building, requiring a development of the KC paradigm. It will show that the complexity of the Project can be reduced by exploring its cultural dynamics, and its interactive stability can be examined through joint alliance theory.

Keywords: European Project, enlargement, complexity, European Variable Geometry, political dynamics, political culture, joint alliance theory