Why regionalism has failed in Latin America: lack of stateness as an important factor for failure of sovereignty transfer in integration projects

Abstract

This paper shows, from an interdisciplinary perspective, the incidence of lack of “stateness” and its construction process in Latin American states, as well as showing the reluctance on the part of Latin American states to transfer sovereignty to regional integrational organizations. First, classical and contemporary ideas of sovereignty are contrasted, in order to understand the development of the sovereignty concept in Latin America and Europe. Second, we interpret how the sovereignty concept has been conceived through Latin American states’ formation process. Third, the sovereignty process is adressedwithin integration thinking and its three big waves: the developmental, neoliberal and post-hegemonic waves. Fourth, the concept of sovereignty inLatin America and its impact on the region are discussed critically. Fifth, current regionalism perspectives are explained. Sixth, the current relationship between sovereignty and regionalization in South America is described. And finally, throughout this paper, wemaintain that it is the weakness of “stateness” in the Latin American states which has had an important influence on their reluctance to transfer national sovereignty to regional integration institutions.