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Classical Realism

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The Palgrave Handbook of EU Crises

Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in European Union Politics ((PSEUP))

Abstract

How far can realism help to explain the European Union in crisis? Does it offer solutions to deal with challenges? This chapter presents a variety of realism focusing on a key factor of the European integration process: the German–French axis. How did both powers achieve an integrated (EU)rope in the past? How can they go on in times of crisis? The chapter draws attention to a unique category in realism: dual hegemony. It argues that the history of the European integration project is the key to understand current crises. German–French cooperation was a precondition of the EU’s birth. This dual leadership is a requirement for an ongoing integration process. It will be key to whether the EU is able to handle crises, and continue European integration, or not.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Anderson/Goodman (1993); Bulmer/Paterson (1996); Kaelberer (1997); Markovits/Reich/Westermann (1996); Reichwein (2019: 85–97); Wessels (2001).

  2. 2.

    Whereas Mearsheimer feared a Hobbesian state of anarchy within Europe, Waltz was quite optimistic. To him, European anarchy was rather benign. Consequently, he did expect unified Germany to try to control its surroundings by pursuing defensive strategies of power balancing—if necessary—in order to preserve the post-Cold War status quo of the power distribution among states. According to Waltz, satisfied Germany just aimed preserving its own new beneficial position by means of increased conventional military resources and/or bi- and multilateral alliance-building against any revisionist state. For a summary of the—different—realist predictions in the early 1990s concerning Europe see Hoffmann (1995b: 281–285), Reichwein (2012: 39/40; 2019: 86/87), Rynning (2005, 2011: 25–28).

  3. 3.

    For a revised neo-realist explanation of European integration in the realm of security and defence and the dual power balancing argument, see Hyde-Price (2012); Jones (2007: 18–56); Posen (2006); Rosato (2011); Rynning (2011); Wivel (1998, 2008); for a summary see Reichwein (2015).

  4. 4.

    French former President Francois Mitterand in an interview with the Le Nouvel Observateuer, January 1996 (cited according to Loriaux 1999: 372/373).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Political Science, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany

    Alexander Reichwein

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  1. Alexander Reichwein
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  1. Inland School of Business and Social Sciences, Inland University, Rena and Lillehammer, Norway

    Marianne Riddervold

  2. Inland School of Business and Social Sciences, Inland University, Rena and Lillehammer, Norway

    Jarle Trondal

  3. Department of Political Science and Management, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway

    Akasemi Newsome

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Reichwein, A. (2021). Classical Realism. In: Riddervold, M., Trondal, J., Newsome, A. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of EU Crises. Palgrave Studies in European Union Politics. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51791-5_4

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