What’s in a People? Social Facts, Individual Choice, and the European Union

Abstract

Rainer Bauböck’s contribution struggles hard with a non-existing problem ignoring the fact that those who have little interest in the state of residence would obviously find it nonsensical to participate in the political life there. Knowing this leaves open the question whether it is worth superimposing the people’s judgment with a state-mandated one. If people are free, societal ties cannot depend on state mandated blessings.