PS 341 Midterm Exam

Supranationalism

Member states transfer decision-making power to shared EU institutions (e.g., Commission, EP, CJEU). Decisions are binding even on dissenting states, prioritizing collective EU interests over individual sovereignty.

Intergovernmentalism

Decision-making power remains with national governments (e.g., European Council, Council of the EU). Decisions typically require unanimity/consensus, preserving member state sovereignty and veto power.

European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC)

Founded by the Treaty of Paris (1951) between 6 nations. Pooled coal/steel production to make war between historic rivals (especially France and Germany) materially impossible.

Free Trade Area (FTA)

An agreement where member countries remove tariffs and quotas on trade among themselves, but each maintains its own independent trade tariffs against non-member countries (e.g., NAFTA/USMCA, EFTA).

Customs Union

Removes internal trade barriers between member states and establishes a Common External Tariff (CET) on goods entering from third-party countries (e.g., EU Customs Union, EU-Turkey Customs Union).

European Single Market

Established by the Single European Act (1986), guaranteeing the "Four Freedoms": free movement of goods, services, capital, and people across member states by removing non-tariff barriers.

Currency Union (EMU)

Economic and Monetary Union adopting a single shared currency (the Euro) managed by an independent central bank (the ECB) to enforce a single monetary policy across participating members.

Maastricht Treaty (1992)

Formally created the European Union, established the Three Pillars structure, set the roadmap for the Euro, introduced EU Citizenship, and expanded EU powers.

EU Three Pillars (Maastricht)

1) European Communities (economic integration & Single Market), 2) Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), 3) Justice and Home Affairs (JHA).

EU Enlargement History

1973: UK, Ireland, Denmark | 1981: Greece | 1986: Spain, Portugal | 1995: Austria, Finland, Sweden | 2004: "Big Bang" (10 states incl. Poland, Czech Rep) | 2007: Bulgaria, Romania | 2013: Croatia.

Direct Effect (EU Law)

Principle established in Van Gend en Loos (1963) allowing EU law to create rights and obligations that individual citizens can directly enforce in national courts without national implementing legislation.

Primacy / Supremacy (EU Law)

Principle established in Costa v ENEL (1964) stating that EU law takes precedence over conflicting national laws and constitutional rules of member states.

Subsidiarity

Principle stating that in non-exclusive EU areas, the EU may only act if objectives cannot be sufficiently achieved by member states acting alone and are better achieved at the EU level.

Proportionality

Principle dictating that EU action must not exceed what is strictly necessary to achieve the objectives of the EU Treaties.

European Commission

Executive branch of the EU; holds the exclusive right of legislative initiative, manages EU policies and budget, and acts as the "Guardian of the Treaties."

European Parliament

Directly elected body representing EU citizens; co-legislates on laws and budget with the Council of the EU, and exercises oversight over the Commission.

Council of the European Union

Legislative body representing member state governments at the ministerial level; co-legislates with Parliament using Qualified Majority Voting or unanimity.

European Council

Strategic body comprising heads of state or government of EU member countries and its President; sets the overall political direction and priorities of the EU (does not legislate).

Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU)

Judicial branch of the EU; ensures EU law is interpreted and applied uniformly across all member states and rules on legal disputes.

Qualified Majority Voting (QMV)

Decision-making in the Council requiring a double majority: 55% of member states representing at least 65% of the total EU population.

Ordinary Legislative Procedure

1) Commission proposes legislation, 2) Parliament adopts position, 3) Council adopts or amends, 4) Joint Conciliation Committee convenes if agreement isn't reached.

Brexit Voting Demographics

Leave won heavily among voters with lower formal education, lower household income, those identifying as English over British, and regions in the Midlands and North East[cite: 369, 370, 371, 372].

Brexit Referendum - New Voters

60% of "new voters" who had abstained in the 2015 general election voted Leave in the 2016 referendum[cite: 364, 381].

Cameron's Brexit Miscalculation

Called the referendum to contain Eurosceptic Tory backbenchers and neutralize UKIP, assuming he could renegotiate terms, run a risk-based campaign, and easily win[cite: 403, 404, 410].

Cameron's EU Renegotiation Failure

Focused on curbing intra-EU migration, but the EU refused to compromise on the core principle of free movement of people, yielding weak concessions[cite: 404, 422].

"Project Fear" Campaign Dynamic

The Remain campaign relied heavily on economic risk warnings, underestimating the emotional appeal of sovereignty, national identity, and immigration control[cite: 364, 377, 404].

Westminster Feature 1: Cabinet Power

Concentration of executive power in one-party, bare-majority cabinets[cite: 349, 350].

Westminster Feature 2: Executive Dominance

Cabinet dominates Parliament through disciplined party majorities[cite: 350, 351, 356].

Westminster Feature 3: Party System

Two-party system dominated by two major political parties[cite: 349, 350, 356].

Westminster Feature 4: Electoral System

Majoritarian / First-Past-the-Post electoral system with high disproportionality[cite: 356, 357].

Westminster Feature 5: Interest Groups

Pluralism characterized by uncoordinated, competing interest groups[cite: 357].

Westminster Feature 6: Territorial Structure

Unitary and centralized government structure[cite: 352, 357].

Westminster Feature 7: Legislative Power

Asymmetric bicameralism or unicameralism with power concentrated in one house[cite: 352, 353, 358].

Westminster Feature 8: Constitution

Unwritten/uncodified flexible constitution changeable by regular parliamentary majorities[cite: 353].

Westminster Feature 9: Judicial Branch

Absence of judicial review over regular parliamentary acts