European Integration And The Nationalities Question

摘要

The European Union (EU) has progressed from a loose grouping of nationstates based on liberal-democratic traditions, through post-Communism, to the point where it is actively considering including Turkey and eventually the schismatic states of the former Yugoslavia. At the same time, it has become a destination for mass immigration from Asia, Africa and the Middle East, adding to the already substantial communities created by post-colonialism and guest-worker systems. Within this complexity are increasingly assertive minority cultures making claims on the concept of Europe as a 'community of nations'. Some, most notably the Celtic nations of Scotland and Wales, have already achieved a degree of autonomy unthinkable when the EU was being created 50 years ago. Movement within the EU has been progressively liberalised, adding to the number of former foreigners now allowed, and in some cases even encouraged, to move and settle outside their traditional homelands. These developments have naturally caused counter-reactions and strains on a political entity having its origins very firmly planted in the European concept of the nationstate with borders corresponding to ethnicity - by force if necessary. Germany, which is quite happy with a federal system, has until very recently denied that it is a country of immigration, and has given immigration privileges to those of German ethnic origin, mainly from the former Communist bloc (as Stefan Wolff outlines here). France has persisted in denying ethnic and linguistic variety within its borders, a stance carefully analysed by Michel Nicholas for the substantial Breton minority.