Europe as a Fiction

• Authors: Filipowicz S.
• Languages of publication: PL

Abstracts

EN

A comparison of the United States of America and the European Union indicates a clear difference. In the USA, in spite of ever-more frequent warnings of disintegration, there exists a defined political nation and the face of American patriotism is still very clear. In Europe, despite the lack of a political nation, an omnipresent optimism dominates. There, in the public arena, a naive and noisy fiction has appeared which, usurping high dignity, imposes itself as a meritorious wisdom. Such, indeed, is the meaning of 'Europe' and 'Europeans', propagating with great fervour the notion of unity. For unity is a truth created by politicians, a project confirming the great power of imagination. Modernity has given rise to great temptations to glorify imagination and the European project has clear roots in the Enlightenment. However, both the writings of Europe's 'Founding Fathers' as well as works by historiographers and political philosophers point up the lack of a homogeneous concept of a European identity. Unity has only now become an aim and a task to be carried out. Adherents of unification persuade us that it is an unquestionable aim, serving the accomplishment of the most commendable rules and values. In this way, the project has become reality and its opponents are named 'Utopians'. Since reality has lost its meaning, what is important in the essence is only that which concurs with the 'anointed' view, which has been legitimised by thought set upon the pedestal of authority.

Keywords

EN

DEMOCRACY; EUROPEAN IDENTITY

Discipline

• PHILOSOPHY: PHILOSOPHY

• Publisher: Institute of Political Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences and Centre for Political Thought
• Journal: Civitas. Studia z filozofii polityki (Civitas. Studies on politics philosophy)
• Year: 2006
• Issue: 9
• Pages: 9-20
• Document type: ARTICLE

Contributors

author

Filipowicz S.

• S. Filipowicz, Uniwersytet Warszawski, Wydzial Dziennikarstwa i Studiów Politycznych, ul. Krakowskie Przedmiescie 3, 00-047 Warszawa, Poland

Identifiers

CEJSH db identifier

07PLAAAA01964172