Pragmatism, Euroscepticism and Integration: A Dynamic Approach

Abstract

Major proponents and opponents of European integration debate issues in terms of absolute values and ideology. Pragmatism offers a third way: it judges specific policies on the basis of experience -- and after more than half a century there is a lot of EU experience to judge. It analyses the causes of current problems with reference to evidence and it assesses costs and benefits of policies proposed to get rid of problems and make conditions better. This approach is not against European integration in principle. However, it is not in favour of an ever closer Union unless a pragmatic judgment of evidence makes a positive conclusion about likely benefits.