Asymmetric federalism between globalization and regionalization

Bibliographic Data

ID6290309
AuthorsKlaus Von Beyme (corresponding author)
Year2005
Volume12
Issue3
Pages432-447
Publication date2005-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of European Public Policy (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1350-1763 • E-ISSN: 1466-4429
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/13501760500091265
OpenAlexW2047199994
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited8

The question 'who speaks for the Europeans?' involves a basic contradiction in European constitutional engineering: federalist autonomy developed against democratic representation on the basis of popular sovereignty of equal citizens. Working on a European Constitution includes the search for a fair balance between the modes of representation. This paper shows, however, that the balance remains precarious. Asymmetries in the de iure institutional settings and in de facto social and economic development permanently reshuffle the balance. Older theories of federalism in the age of classical modernism started from a rational model of symmetric states' rights. Postmodernist thinking with its patchwork scenarios developed more tolerance towards asymmetries. The neo-liberal paradigm leads away from 'participatory federalism' in the direction of a 'federalism of competition'. In the early federations the poor territories in a 'class struggle from below' asked for subsidies from the centre. In recent federations a 'class struggle from above' is developing. The rich states fight for asymmetries because they feel punished if they have to subsidize the poorer areas

Autonomy · Constitution · Contradiction · Democracy · democratic deficit · Economic system · Economics · Federalism · Federalist · Law and economics · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Sovereignty · European Union Policy and Governance · Law · Political Systems and Governance · Social Policy and Reform Studies

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