Jürgen habermas and the crisis of the European union

Abstract

In this chapter I assess Jürgen Habermas’s book The Crisis of the European Union. I show that Habermas’s suggestions for transition from monetary to political and democratic union are persuasive, as are his calls for a unified Europe to have stronger global presence. However, I argue that there is a gulf between the contemporary pressing realities and the optimism of Habermas’s cosmopolitan aspirations. Indeed, Habermas acknowledges just how far we are presently removed from this normative vision, and how the institutions of the EU are currently controlled by technocratic elites with their neo-liberal agenda. With this in mind, I make the case that there are inherent problems with the way Habermas links the possibilities of future political union to the high ambitions of his cosmopolitan ideal. I initially outline some of the key elements of Habermas’s wider theoretical project focusing on his conceptions of democracy and legitimacy, and what this implies for the relationship between law and democratic politics, as well as his thoughts on cosmopolitanism and the legacy of the European Enlightenment project. In the following section I outline his argument for a European Constitution, and link this to his more general reflections on democracy. In the final section I focus on Habermas’s conception of the future of Europe, with particular reference to his vision of Europe as a key player in world politics. I conclude the paper with the suggestion that a unified Europe as a countervailing force in global politics is possible and desirable, but without the cosmopolitan ideal that underpins Habermas’ approach.