NEOFUNCTIONALISM THEORY AND EUROPEANIZATION

Neofunctionalism Theory and Europeanization

Neofunctionalism Theory and Europeanization

Introduction

Ernst B. Haas' theory of Neofunctionalism was formed in his doctoral dissertation in 1958 and in 1964 he wrote the book Beyond the Nation-State of functionalism and International Organization in which he criticized his former theory of functionalism as being obsolete. It then evolved as a system theory specifically targeting the EU and develops the functionalist idea that every system has an underlying cohesiveness and some specific dynamics, almost like an organism. Haas' main criticism of functionalism is based on this theory emphasizes the economic aspects (rational choice) of European integration, where Haas also involves politics. At the same time Haas built his theory for a "soft rational choice", which emphasizes self-interest of nation-states, and these states should unite in communities of interest to have impact (Risse, Cowles, Caporaso, 2001, pp 56-67).

Furthermore, Haas operated a concept of spill-over, by which he meant that collaboration across states in a policy will lead to further integration and strengthen cohesion in other policy areas. In article Neofunctionalism, European identity, Thomas Risse is in broad agreement with Haas on the parameters that exist in European integration in general. Risse criticized Haas because of his integration theory. He agreed with Haas' concept of interests, but considered this an identity in nature, since interests are embedded in national states self-understanding. Thus, Risse also operated Haas' spill-over effect, but believed that the integration of ideas should be generated (Radaelli, 2004, Pp 34-45).

Risse considered security to be the highest attainable step in European integration, which required a high degree of value-based cohesiveness. Therefore, Risse functioned as a critical complement to Haas' theory. It is believed that Neofunctionalism is extremely useful in light of how integration processes in the European community unfolds. Neofunctionalism is one of the theories of European integration, which was established after the Second World War and a revisionist version of functionalism (Lenschow, 2006, Pp10-19). Developed by a team of U.S. researchers, headed by E. Haas, the 1960-th years of functionalism became the leading theory of European integration. Neofunctionalism was the attempt to manage the integration at the regional level. The most important difference between classical functionalism and Neofunctionalism was the fore policy, the desire for political cooperation, but through economic cooperation. Thus, freed from a number of shortcomings found in functionalists, the updated theory contributed to the clarity of the integration process.

On what basis, did Ernst Haas pronounce Neofunctionalism to be obsolete?

Neofunctionalism is a theory of regional integration based on the work of Ernst B. Haas (Ernst B. Haas), an American scientist politician. Jean Monnet's approach to the unification of Europe aims to bring individual sectors in hopes of achieving the effects of a uniform distribution to further the integration process is said to have followed the basic idea of Neofunctionalism school. Haas later declared the theory Neofunctionalism as obsolete after the process of European integration began to stop in the 1960's, paralyzed politics and the institutions of the European Coal and Steel Community, European ...