Is There a European Common Good?

The common good and how it can be pursued is a contested question. It touches upon the core principles of a society, and it challenges the political processes, institutional logics, and constitutional settings. The nature and finality of a European transformation cannot be understood without taking these questions into account. Despite all successes in integration, it is an open question whether the European Union is in fact more than the sum total of fragmentary compromises between and among the Member States. Is there a European common good? This volume reflects the struggle of defining the common good within the EU from different disciplinary perspectives. The book's contributions explore the potential for a systematic approach to a European understanding of a common good. One can hardly deny that the strictures of an economic and monetary union and their impact on security-, health-, social-, and environmental politics require the Europeanization of any understanding of a common good. Hence, a discussion of the common good within the European context is strongly suggested by current controversies over collective responsibilities and values. (Series: Salzburg European Union Studies - Vol. 1)