Abstract
Liberal Intergovernmentalism (LI) has established itself as the baseline theory” for explaining the big decisions in European integration. It is also the only integration theory that has the adjective liberal” in its name. It is, however, a truncated liberal theory. Whereas LI starts from neoliberal institutionalism” and includes domestic politics in its account of European integration — as any liberal theory should — it builds mainly on a single variant of liberal theory: commercial liberalism. As a consequence, LI neglects important facets of European integration that derive from the nature of the European Union (EU) as a liberal community. Fundamental developments and outcomes in European integration are difficult to explain, unless the role of liberal values, norms, and identities are properly theorised.
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© 2013 Frank Schimmelfennig
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Schimmelfennig, F. (2013). Liberal Theory and European Integration. In: Friedman, R., Oskanian, K., Pardo, R.P. (eds) After Liberalism?. Palgrave Studies in International Relations Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137303769_14
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137303769_14
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