The Transnational Constitution of Europe's Social Market Economies: A Question of Constitutional Imbalances?. (5th December 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kjaer, Poul F.
• Other Names: Claassen Rutger guestEditor.; Gerbrandy Anna guestEditor.; Princen Sebastiaan guestEditor.; Segers Mathieu guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: Journal of common market studies. Volume 57:Number 1(2019)
• Page Start: 143
• Page End: 158
• Publication Date: 2018-12-05
• Subjects: Corporatism -- European Coal and Steel Community -- neo‐corporatism -- economic and social constitution -- transnationalism; European Economic Community countries -- Periodicals; European Union countries -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 382.9142
• DOI: 10.1111/jcms.12811
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-9886

Abstract

Abstract: Throughout its history the European integration process has not undermined but rather strengthened the autonomy of member states vis‐à‐vis wider societal interests in relation to political economy, labour markets and social provisions. Both the 'golden age nation state' of the 1960s as well as the considerable transformations of member state political economies over the past decades, and especially after the euro‐crisis, was to a considerable degree orchestrated through transnational, most notably European, arrangements. In both cases the primary objective has been to strengthen state capacities of public power and law against the encroachment of private interests into the state. In spite of this continuity, considerable changes can be observed in the substantial economic policies advanced due to the switch from a Keynesian to a monetarist economic paradigm. It is suggested that the debate on constitutional imbalances between the EU's economic and social constitutions should be seen in this light.