In the Shadow of the Euro Crisis

摘要

Historically, federations or unions of states die not because of problems at the periphery but because of failure at the heart of the system. Such 'heart failure' can occur because of an inability or refusal of the centre to cope with mounting problems at the periphery (the centre gives up) or because the centre actively seeks to provoke the end of the federation, or as a combination of the two. Examples include the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy (which fell apart when revolution led to regime change in Vienna and Budapest in October-November 1918) and the disintegration of the Soviet Union (as a result of Russia's decisions in December 1991).