Reply To: Eliminar referencia Segunda Guerra Mundial

[Mauro Casarotto]

The reference to WWII was also inserted to do justice to the activity of those thinkers and politicians like, only to quote two, Altiero Spinelli (Italy, 1907-1986) and Philip Kerr Marquees of Lothian (UK, 1882-1940). In the period around WWII they, together with others devoted part of their lives to the promotion of a European Federation based on a Constitution. Then the intergovernmental approach prevailed, despite their efforts.

Unfortunately, Lord Lothian died during the WWII, but already in the 30s he was promoter and co-author of a manifest of English intellectuals in which we can read:

” National sovereignty leads to competition in armaments, economic self-sufficiency and internal regimentation, and thus inevitably to war, imperialism […] and loss of individual liberty, because where sovereign States fail to agree there is no remedy save resort to violence. […] No international order based on co-operation between sovereign States will prove either efficient or durable. […] Nothing less than a union of the peoples can end this anarchy and give peace, justice, and freedom to all. Accordingly we advocate:
1. A Federal Union of those nations which hold that the State exists for the freedom and responsibility of man […].
2. That this constitutional Union will […] establish legislative, executive and judicial organs representative of and responsible to all the citizens of the Union for such common affairs as defence and order, currency, trade […] and will possess the taxation and borrowing powers necessary to finance its own activities

In my opinioni, it’s important to have a (and make a) clear overview on the logical reasons why a European Federal Constitution has been proposed in the recent past and why it is, once again, proposed today.

I think that the fact the we are proposing to overcome the intergovernmental treaty based system of the EU clearly shows that we look forward to the future. The reasons why we are doing so are based both on the inheritance of European history and the new challenges we have in 21st century.

Mauro Casarotto,
FAEF Secretary General