Narratives of the European Crisis and the Future of (Social) Europe
2013; Routledge; Volume: 48; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
0163-7479
Autores Tópico(s)European and International Law Studies
ResumoSUMMARYINTRODUCTION 241I. EXPLORING THE MORAL AND STRUCTURAL NARRATIVES ON THE CAUSES OF THE CRISIS 243A. The Moral Narrative: P.I.I.G.S., Ants, and Grasshoppers 243B. Structural Stories: Who's Grasshopper Now Dear Ant? 247C. The Role of Different Narratives in Solutions Devised (or Not) 251II. DO GRASSHOPPERS NEED SPECIAL TREATMENT?: CONSIDERING THE FUTURE OF (SOCIAL) EUROPE 258CONCLUSION 266INTRODUCTIONI would like to start with a few words about Texas International Law Journal Euro Crisis Symposium's (the Symposium) excellently minimalist but evocative poster, which captures ambient atmosphere in European politics since 200708 financial crisis (the crisis).1 Designed in what could perhaps be described as a gothic-influenced modernist style, center of poster is dominated by a blackgrey structure, strongly reminiscent of European Central Bank's (ECB) building in Frankfurt, rising high toward a sky dominated by grey and white clouds. The cloud-like figures are perfect circles, darker in color as they grow bigger in size, immediately invoking now familiar way of representing national debt burdens in some of most popular graphics used in press.2 The general mood is one of an approaching, if not fully-fledged, storm raging at financial heart of Europe. Finally, not to be missed are letters announcing Symposium, inscribed in Star Wars-like fonts, hinting at academia's deep connection with the Force- and hence a potential solution rising from Europe's own technocratic core. Beyond illustrating general ambience surrounding crisis, Symposium poster also helps highlight two distinct underlying narratives about causes of- and therefore solutions to- crisis, on which I would like to concentrate my comments. One could see darkening clouds or debt burdens of member states as reason for ECBlike figure's darkness; or inversely, one could wonder about role of this dark protagonist in generating clouds now dominating background.During presentations at Symposium we discussed Stability and Growth Pact, its enforcement shortcomings, and potential solutions to these shortcomings, including newly legislated six-pack.3 Furthermore, we discussedand some questioned- need for increased financial regulation, legality of a potential euro exit, as well as risks entailed in some of bank bailouts engineered by several member states' governments in aftermath of crisis.4 What I would like to do here is provide an analysis of two distinct types of narratives, circulating in both popular and academic press, about causes and therefore solutions, to crisis. Each type of narrative entails different understandings of role of member states and European Union (EU) itself in production of crisis. Are member states' debt clouds to blame for darkness of ECB-like structure at center of poster? Or does figure itself have something to do with production of clouds? Like all good stories, each narrative has victims and culprits, villains and protagonists, and each one suggests distinct approaches towards finding potential solutions- happy endings.In first part of my Article, I will present two types of narratives. In first category, crisis appears to be result of member states failing to fulfill treaty obligations because of their ballooning welfare states, causing a cascade effect for rest. In second category, member states fail in their obligations, but are themselves victims of structural defects in very design of euro zone, or at very least structural forces due to design of euro. …
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