Honors Thesis Proposal - Draft 2

March 1, 1994
 

The Democratic Deficit of the European Union: Perspectives and Proposals for Reform
 

I propose to write an honors thesis on the best way to address the democratic deficit of the European Union, including an analysis of the problem itself, a critical discussion of current proposals for reform, and my own policy proposals for rectifying the situation. Better definition of your research question than in your first draft. Dr. Karl Cerny has agreed to act as my mentor for this project. Appropriate mentor for this thesis.

In 1988, the European Parliament issued a report identifying a "democratic deficit" in the European Community, now called European Union.⁽¹⁾ The authors defined this deficit in terms of "loss of democracy in the transfer of powers from member states to the Community,"⁽²⁾ as democratically elected national parliaments relinquished powers to non-elected bodies at the European level. Events in Eastern Europe in 1989-90 focused popular attention on democracy and the need to increase democratic participation in EC decision-making. Proposals for reform since that time have reflected varying perceptions of the problem, ideas about democracy, and conceptions of the nature and goal of European integration.This section gives a much better idea of what the democratic deficit is and of the issues at stake.

The democratic deficit is a crucial issue because Europeans are becoming increasingly concerned that the EC is run by elites bargaining amongst themselves behind closed doors. The lack of transparency or popular participation in decision-making processes conjures up visions of nineteenth-century secret diplomacy, when wily statesmen traded concessions to promote national interests without consulting the people their decisions would affect. The Maastricht referenda in France and Belgium created serious doubts about the democratic legitimacy of the EC; the need to address these doubts becomes even more pressing as the EC moves toward monetary union and considers expansion. Good - here you demonstrate the importance of the question. My thesis will provide a comprehensive overview of the issues at stake, as well as specific policy proposals designed to help remedy the problem. Much more focused topic.

From the perspective of the European Parliament and analysts supporting a more federal structure for the EC, popular participation in government is the key to democratic legitimacy, and the democratic deficit reflects a lack of opportunities for meaningful participation by voters or their representatives. A solution would therefore be to strengthen the European Parliament, and move the EC in a federal direction. Another viewpoint, formulated most extensively by analysts such as Alberta Sbragia, Vernon Bogdanor and Geoffrey Woodcock, is that the EC is a primarily intergovernmental organization. As such, it derives its democratic legitimacy from the national parliaments, which authorize the actions of national ministers at the EC level. For intergovernmentalists, enhancing the ability of the national parliaments and the citizens they represent to effectively monitor decision-making at the EC level would reduce the democratic deficit. A third perspective, promoted by Sophie Meunier-Aitsahalia and George Ross, focuses on the lack of a general European political culture and contends that new ways must be found to ensure popular involvement in EC politics. Optimally, popular participation should be increased without detracting from the power of the individual member states to protect their national interests. Good - here you illustrate existing perspectives on the problem and demonstrate your understanding of the issues

These varying perspectives are difficult to reconcile, and necessitate the development of innovative compromise solutions to the problem of the democratic deficit in the EC today. The complex nature of the problem, the plethora of factors which must be considered, and the history and structure of the EC all create constraints on the kinds of solutions that can be devised. One ardent federalist summed up the problem of the democratic deficit with the assertion that "if the EC was [sic] a state and applied to join the Community, it would be turned down on the grounds that it was not a democracy."⁽³⁾ The EC is not a state, however; it is unique and it requires unique solutions to the problems it faces. The issues involved in debates about the democratic deficit illustrate this fact. Federalist proposals for reform are designed to make the EC more democratic by structuring it more like a state; intergovernmentalists model their proposals on state governments, such as that of the United States; and proponents of the 'political culture' approach apply a state-based concept to the EC as a whole. Because the European Union is not a state, the effectiveness of solutions requiring it to act like a state will be limited. Now I see the shortcomings of existing analyses; you have created space for your own contribution.

My thesis will explore alternative solutions to the problem of the democratic deficit that take into account the EC's unique structure and history. I plan to research the historical background of the democratic deficit and the roots of the problem as it is now perceived. Works by Desmond Dinan, Stanley Hoffmann and Robert Keohane, Alan Milward, and Emil Kirchner will provide the springboard for a detailed study of the issues at stake, as well as the difference between federalist, intergovernmental and political culture approaches to the problem.⁽⁴⁾ I will pay special attention to the differing conceptions of democracy in member states, and the way those differences have shaped perceptions of the issue and suggestions for reform. Furthermore, I will analyze current proposals for reducing the democratic deficit and expose some of their strengths and weaknesses. Finally, I will develop specific policy proposals about how to address the problem of the democratic deficit. Good - you make the case for a new approach and provide a plan for using it to tackle the problem.

My preliminary research suggests that a focus on increasing the transparency of Council and Commission proceedings will prove more fruitful than plans to further strengthen the role of the European Parliament. Although convinced federalists will not accept plans that preclude development toward a federal union of European states, better access to information about Council and Commission deliberations could serve federalist as well as intergovernmentalist interests. Considering the EC's emphasis on compromise and tendency for incremental development, it seems likely that the terms of that access could be defined to offer both federalists and intergovernmentalists opportunities to pursue their own goals for integration.

Interesting idea about where your research might lead.

The Washington, DC area offers a rich source base for my research. I have obtained access to the George Mason University library on European integration, which is also a depository for EU documents; official publications are also available from the EU delegation here. Individual embassies can provide country-specific information. Lauinger Library receives most of the relevant periodicals, and its resources are supplemented by the collections of the Library of Congress. The official websites of the EU and the European Research Papers Archive provide links to official documents, policy statements and academic discussions of pertinent issues. Dr. Cerny has indicated his willingness to help me arrange informational interviews with Members of the European Parliament who plan to visit the area, as well as academic colleagues with knowledge of the issue, in order to help me refine my policy proposals. Much better description of available sources and your ability to use them

I became interested in this topic while taking Prof. Cerny's Politics of European Integration class. Other relevant coursework I have completed includes The European Economy I and II (Eudey/Billings), European Governments: Germany (Cerny), International Relations in Europe (Flynn), History of Germany and Europe (Shedel) and Comparative European Governments (Barnes). Although most of the literature I will need is available in English, my proficiency in German and my reading knowledge of French will allow me to explore additional primary sources. Obviously you have sufficient background to pursue the research you have in mind.

I will welcome the opportunity to pursue this project in the context of the honors program.

Much better, Jane! You have eliminated irrelevant text and made a much stronger case for your ability to produce a first-rate thesis on an interesting and meaningful question. Your question emerges much more clearly than in your first draft. It is clear you have made an effort to locate relevant courses, both primary and secondary, and you demonstrate effectively your ability to pursue this research during your senior year at GU.

1. Since most source materials were printed before the name "European Union" was adopted, the terms "EC," "Community" and "European Community" will be used to refer to what is now called the European Union.

2. Report drawn up on behalf of the Committee on Institutional Affairs on the Democratic Deficit of the European Community. Rapporteur M. Toussaint. Document A2-0276/87 (1988).

3. David Martin, "Progress toward European Union: EC Institutional Perspectives on the Intergovernmental Conferences - The View of the Parliament," Aussenwirtschaft 46:III/IV (1991): 292.

4. I have been unable to find any discussion of neo-functionalist perspectives on the democratic deficit; if new sources become available, I will certainly consider the neo-functionalist model in my thesis.