Question Answer

Question Answer



Question Answer

1) How well does liberal intergovernmentalism explain the main elements of the Single European Act?

A reaction to neofunctionalist approach to European integration, intergovernmentalism was a counter-argument presented by Stanley Hoffman. This theory of European integration relies heavily on realist ideas about the state and its roles, as well as their government in international relations. Hoffman criticised neofunctionalism as he believed that integration had to be viewed in a global context, and that regional integration was a smaller part of global system (Bache, George 2006: 12). He believed a major failure in the neofunctionalist approach was the prediction of unavoidable further integration based on an internal dynamic which supposed that international background situation would stay the same. This assumption was seen as especially inaccurate with the changes to the economic climate in the start of the 1970's. He also argued that even though 'national interests' could be a reason to integrate with some parts of government, this process will never include higher politics such as national security. Lastly it was this desire to preserve the national interest that led to governments taking part in the integration, and so it was the national governments that controlled the degree and speed of integration, rejecting the neofunctionalist idea that states were overwhelmed by demands from interest groups (Bache, George 2006: 13).

To Hoffmann, it is clear that there are actors other then national governments who are influential in the process of integration. In national politics, interest groups could affect government decisions, but he pointed out that they were not the only bodies to do so, as the party in office or officials from within the government would also assert pressure. He acknowledged however, that national governments were the key people who made the decisions, and that they could be seen to be especially powerful for two reasons. Firstly, as they had gained the legal sovereignty of their country, and linked to this, that had legitimacy in the form of being the only elected officials in the integration process. This opinion explains how it was the pursuit of national interest that led to supranational bodies gaining power.

This theory leaves nations with a much greater independence, and so integration happened on a level that was intergovernmental, only preceding to the degree the governments wished. He did however take note of the importance of the location of the state in the world structure, in much the same way realists do, and recognised this as another limitation on these governments. (Bache, George 2006: 12 13)

Moravcsik built on the ideas of Hoffmann, and agreed with many of the key principles, such as the assumption that nations could be seen as rational and departing from realists approach to the state. He believed that the position governments entered into within international negotiations could be understood based on two factors. One was the economic interests within nation's interior, and the second was to understand how conflicting interests were resolved within the council of ...