Neofunctionalism

Neofunctionalism is a theory of regional integration, building on the work of David Mitrany. One of its protagonists was Ernst B. Haas, a US-political scientist. Jean Monnet's approach to European integration, which aimed at integrating individual sectors in hopes of achieving spill-over effects to further the process of integration, is said to have followed the neofunctional school's tack. Haas later declared the theory of neofunctionalism obsolete, after the process of European integration started stalling in the 1960s, when Charles de Gaulle's "empty chair" politics paralyzed the institutions of ECSC, EEC and EURATOM. Neofunctionalism has also been called too eurocentric and hence incapable of describing the process of integration in general.

Related Topics:
Regional integration - David Mitrany - Ernst B. Haas - US - Political scientist - Jean Monnet - 1960s - Charles de Gaulle - ECSC - EEC - EURATOM - Eurocentric

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Unlike previous theories of integration, neofunctionalism was non-normative and tried to describe and explain the process of regional integration based on empirical data. Integration was regarded as an inevitable process, rather than a desirable state of affairs that could be introduced by the political or technocratic elites of the involved states' societies. Its strength however was also its weakness: While it understood that regional integration is only feasible as an incremental process, its conception of integration as a linear process made the explanation of setbacks impossible.

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Neofunctionalism nonetheless remains an important theory in the study of international relations. Neofunctionalism is often contrasted with intergovernmentalism.

Related Topics:
International relations - Intergovernmentalism

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