Abstract
The study of the political history of European construction is particularly important to explain the context in which the first institutional nuclei of European integration appeared. This paper identifies the main contributions from the interwar period to the project of a united Europe and their role in defining the process of creating the future European Union. The paper analyzes two main federalist projects namely "Pan-Europe" and "Briand initiative", looking at the similarities between them and at the elements prefigured by the two Europeanists of the federalist movement which are found in the current political-institutional configuration of the European Union. I conclude that Coudenhove-Kalergi and Aristide Briand’s proposals still represents, after 90 years since their drafting, core principles and values we recognise today in the European Union of 2020.
Highlights
The interwar period has made a remarkable contribution to the development of the European idea, even though the global conflagration led by totalitarian ideologies was being prepared
If Victor Hugo advanced the idea of the "United States of Europe", being inspired by humanist ideals, the Austrian count Richard von Coudenhove-Kalergi regarded the interwar period as a new form of hope, wanting to fulfill this ideal
Coudenhove-Kalergi's successor and collaborator will be none other than the illustrious Aristide Briand with his so-called proposal "Briand Iniative" which was considered to be the highest point of the movement for the unity of Europe in the interwar period, its plan of European Union under federal model being presented to the member states of the League of Nations
Summary
The interwar period has made a remarkable contribution to the development of the European idea, even though the global conflagration led by totalitarian ideologies was being prepared. Coudenhove-Kalergi's successor and collaborator will be none other than the illustrious Aristide Briand with his so-called proposal "Briand Iniative" which was considered to be the highest point of the movement for the unity of Europe in the interwar period, its plan of European Union under federal model being presented to the member states of the League of Nations. In the context in which this period represented for the ideal of European unity the highest point, to which many personalities and political leaders joined, and the states seemed to really want to maintain the peace and prosperity of Europe, why their initiatives were doomed to failure?. In the process of deciphering this evolution, another question arises, namely: which elements prefigured by the Europeanists of the federalist movement are found in the current political-institutional configuration of the European Union? The comparative method was used to identify the different views of the two analyzed federal authors as well as to compare the European construction plans and the present European Union of 2020
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