Defense Industries and the Nation-State

Abstract

As discussed in Chapter 1, realist theories of European integration focus on the interests of major states. Realists maintain that states try to maximize their power in the international arena by pursuing policies which bring the most benefits to them — or at least minimize their losses. However, the goals and policies of individual states are often shaped by the domestic politics that take place within them. In the context of the European Union (EU), integration is the result of a negotiation process based on intergovernmentalism, lowest common denominator bargaining, and strict limits on future transfers of sovereignty.¹ Some variations of realism examine how domestic interests shape national preferences.² Such approaches try to explain the history of the EU as the outcomes of interstate bargaining, with an emphasis on the roles of the most powerful members.