Research Paper Instructions - "HIEU 390 – Modern Europe".

THE RISE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION 1

THE RISE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION 3

THE RISE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION 2

The Rise of the European Union – Revised DATE

Research Prospectus Topic Thesis Selection

Student Name Here

Liberty University 2020

HIEU 390 – Modern Europe

THE RISE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

Professor: _______

The rise of the European Union

Background

The continent of Europe experienced numerous strife between neighboring countries in much of the first half and part of the second half of the twentieth century. Although the countries in Europe experienced similar problems, none of them cooperated to face the common enemy. Even during the two fierce first and second world wars, European countries failed to cooperate and fight foreign enemies. After World War II, Europe divided into the west and the east, and the two sides had little to do with each other. The European Union (EU) idea created by the "Maastricht Treaty" came as a relief for twenty-seven countries within the continent. Having had antagonized each other economically, socially, and politically, the European countries got a chance to work together to facilitate the continent's growth and development.

Although twenty-seven countries in the European continent formed the European Union, the union building was slow. In the initial stages of the EU's formation, only six countries that included Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, and France agreed to remove any border restriction (Madsen & Thornhill, 2014[footnoteRef:2]). These countries were the first nations that realized the need to end the striving between each other and later established a common market. The prosperity of the EU members in the 1960s might have challenged other countries to consider joining them (Herrmann, Risse-Kappen, & Brewer, 2004[footnoteRef:3]). In 1973, three more countries such as United Kingdom (UK), Denmark, and Ireland joined the flourishing EU. [2: Madsen, Mikael R., and Chris Thornhill. Law and the Formation of Modern Europe: Perspectives from the Historical Sociology of Law. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2014.] [3: Herrmann, Richard K., Thomas Kappen, and Marilynn B. Brewer. Transnational identities: becoming European in the EU. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2004. ]

In 1981, Greece joined the EU, and their membership was followed by Spain and Portugal five years later, in 1986. In the same year, the Single European Act passed to take care of all the concerns that other European countries outside the EU have concerning the free movement across their borders. In 1993 the Single Market was completed with the 'four freedoms' of movement. The Nineties is also the decade that includes two treaties: the 'Maastricht' Treaty on the European Union in 1993 and the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1999. In the treaty, the movement across borders was allowed for goods, services, money, and people.

The focus

Looking at the European countries' coming to form the EU, it has remained vague whether the last 15 countries to join found it necessary. While the first 12 countries joined on their willingness, the approval of the Single Market 'four freedoms' in Europe caused the 15 remaining European countries to join the EU. While most countries had to consider the economic good of their citizens as the driver to take the step, it is notable. Additionally, it is unclear whether the EU countries anticipated another calamity like the first and the Second World War that found the continent in a state of enmity with neighbors.

The question

With information about the EU's formation in the 20th century, it is possible to discover many factors. After the success of the first members of the EU, it was evident that some others were willing to join the EU voluntarily. An important question that arises from the EU's formation is; How did the economic growth period of 1960 to 1969 and the EU trade policies influence Denmark between 1973 and 2013 to decide to join the EU?

Bibliography

Herrmann, Richard K., Thomas Kappen, and Marilynn B. Brewer. Transnational identities: becoming European in the EU. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2004.

Madsen, Mikael R., and Chris Thornhill. Law and the Formation of Modern Europe: Perspectives from the Historical Sociology of Law. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2014.