Federal Union : the pioneers : a history of Federal Union

Author(s)

Bibliographic Information

Federal Union : the pioneers : a history of Federal Union

Richard Mayne and John Pinder with John C. de V. Roberts ; foreword by Lord Jenkins of Hillhead

Macmillan, 1990

Available at  / 8 libraries

Search this Book/Journal

Note

Includes bibliographical references (p. 250-265) and index

Description and Table of Contents

Description

Britain's relationship with its European Community partners has been bedevilled by divergent views about the aim of a political union with federal institutions. Federalism is often depicted in Britain as an alien concept with which the British cannot come to terms. This book shows this view to be false. Between 1938 and 1940, the British did the most to develop and promote the federal idea. Initiated by three young men, the organization known as Federal Union rapidly gained both elite and mass support and attracted some of the best brains in the country to develop thinking about political organization along federal lines. Following the rejection of Churchill's offer of Union to France, it was the course of the war that diverted the British from the idea of a federal Europe which was at the same time taking root in the resistance movements on the Continent. This book shows how Federal Union achieved its originality and strength: how its literature inspired a small group in the Italian Resistance who became founders of the European federal movements: how this movement influenced the building of the present European Community; how a small group of British federalists carried the ideas of Federal Union's founders into their successful campaign for British membership of the Community -- while others worked to strengthen Atlantic and world institutions: how the British federalists contributed to thinking about the Community's further development: and how their work has continued in the 1980s, in the context of the Single European Act and the prospect that it will be followed by European Union in the 1990s.

Table of Contents

  • Part 1 Against the tide: the birth of a pressure group
  • society is federal
  • launching Federal Union
  • a wider audience
  • mixed motives
  • the gathering storm. Part 2 At war: emergency organization
  • distinguished supporters
  • conscience and controversy
  • expansion and organization
  • an abortive federation
  • ebb tide
  • a movement, not a party. Part 3 Peace aims: research and education
  • preparing for peace. Part 4 Postwar debate: a united world?
  • debate in the Grand Duchy. Part 5 World federalism?: early advocates
  • the 1947 Montreux Congress
  • "my country is the world"
  • reform the United Nations?
  • a UN police force?
  • unanswered questions
  • practical versus political?
  • agreeing to differ. Part 6 Groundwork in Europe: wartime proposals
  • altiero Spinelli
  • Europe and the wider world
  • the European Union of Federalists
  • Montreaux August 1947?
  • Churchill, Sandys and the federalists
  • post-war problems for federalists
  • the Congress of Europe
  • in labour
  • the Council of Europe and R.W.G.Mackay
  • British reluctance. Part 7 New thinking - the federal trust begins: Europe, facts, educating industry
  • a new phase. Part 8 The birth of the European Community: Britain's response
  • the European defence debacle
  • Federalist divisions. Part 9 Atlantic union?: support widens
  • the declaration of Atlantic unity
  • article II of the North Atlantic Treaty
  • conference of NATO parliamentarians
  • the genesis of OECD
  • which community?. Part 10 Hopes and setbacks: the common market campaign
  • the federalists network
  • channel bridges
  • the Labour Party, the public and the veto
  • balance sheet for the federalists. Part 12 Britain into Europe: joining forces
  • the campaign for a European political community
  • the Labour committee for Europe
  • George Brown and the federalists
  • European links
  • from Britain in Europe to the European movement
  • into the community - ensuring Conservative support
  • the campaign for entry
  • the Labour committee and the vote on October 28. Part 13 Towards federation?: steps to monetary union
  • agriculture and the budget
  • institutions
  • one Europe in one world
  • federalism.

by "Nielsen BookData"

Details

Page Top