State Power and Legitimacy: From Monarchy to Federalism
According to Hariou, constitutional state has defining features:
Political Power (potestas + autoritas): Independent of economic and religious influences.
Overlap and Centralization of Power: The state is above others and tends to centralize power, although sometimes it decentralizes power (e.g., CCAA).
Civil Power: Military power is subordinate to civil power. Historically, there have been attempts to limit military power due to its strong influence.
Temporal Power: Power is not religious.
According
Read MoreEvolution of Socialist Education: From Utopian Ideals to Critical Pedagogy
Socialist education’s roots often trace back to Plato, considered a precursor to socialist and communist thought, but its more direct antecedents lie in the utopian socialism of Owen and Fourier. Owen focused on creating a new society through a social order based on community, abolition of private property, equal rights and duties, and elimination of competition. He emphasized technical education and the integration of education with productive work. Fourier similarly stressed the need for technical
Read More19th Century Context: Society, Culture, and Philosophy
Nietzsche: Historical Context
Although the nineteenth century had no great wars, it was remarkably turbulent and profound. It is the century of the “bourgeois revolution,” causing “reactions” that sometimes resulted in autocratic regimes. Gradually, however, the liberal ideals of the rising bourgeoisie prevailed. Great capital appeared, benefiting from spectacular industrial and technological development. This resulted in the emergence of colonialism, given the need for new markets to meet overproduction
Read More19th Century Transformations: Revolutions, Ideologies, and Social Change
1848 Abdication and the Second French Republic
The 1848 abdication of Louis Philippe I proclaimed the Second French Republic. With the selection of new governing bodies, power shifted, marking the demise of the old regime and the rise of new ideals: liberty, equality, and fraternity.
Nationalist Movements
Nationalist resistance to the Napoleonic invasion spurred nationalist movements across Europe, fostering the need to build nation-states proclaiming national sovereignty. The latter half of the 19th
Read MorePost-War Transformation and Stalin’s USSR
Why the “Golden Age” and “Bipolar” Descriptions?
The late 1960s saw a more crowded world with a population increase of a third, unprecedented in such a short time. This growth was most significant in third-world countries. Post-war food scarcity led to the “Green Revolution,” with American foundations using hybridization to boost seed yields. Increased food production resulted in a reduced agricultural population and urbanization, evident in the US and Europe, but less so in the third world. The
Read MoreThe European Union Political System
Chapter 12: The Political System of the European Union
Scheme
1. Formation of the European Union
2. Political and Institutional Organization
- The European Commission
- The European Council
- The Council of Ministers
- The European Parliament
- The Court of Justice
1. Formation of the European Union
The European integration process emerged from post-World War II reconstruction efforts. A political climate prioritizing democracy, peace, and societal rebuilding influenced this process. The Cold War’s global hegemony,
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