‘The Desperate Union’ discusses the consequences of the profound cultural differences in Western Europe and emphasizes the role cultural differences can play in the debate about further European integration.

The European Union’s origins lie in the ruins of World War Two. This war inflicted huge psychological damage and everyone came to the same conclusion: no more war!

European integration proved a successful tool for realising this deep-seated need. Now, 60 years on, the tool appears to have lost its effectiveness. A large section of the population is worried about the EU’s common policies. Will the Greeks ever pay back those billions? Will immigrants ever really integrate?

For 60 years now European integration has been proceeding regardless, without taking cultural differences into account. Can this process carry on unnoticed? Has the integration process perhaps gone too far? Will it at some point stir up such powerful counterforces that the European Union becomes a victim of its own success? ‘The Desperate Union’ discusses the consequences of the profound cultural differences in Western Europe and emphasizes the role cultural differences can play in the debate about further European integration.

List of Illustrations; Foreword; Introduction; 1. No More War; 2. Working Together; 3. Cooperation and Punishment; 4. Northern and Southern Europe; 5. The European Union Today; 6. Conclusion: Where Do We Go from Here?; Bibliography; Index.