WEEKLY SUPPLEMENT / European library

*** JEAN DE MUNCK, CLAUDE DIDRY, ISABELLE FERRERAS, ANNETTE JOBERT (Editors): Renewing Democratic Deliberation in Europe. The Challenge of Social and Civil Dialogue. Presses Interuniversitaires Européennes / Peter Lang (1 av. Maurice, B-1050 Brussels. Tel: [phone] - fax: [phone] - Email: [e-mail] - Internet: http://www.peterlang.com ). "Work & Society" series, No. 73. 2012, 262 pp. €33.70. ISBN 978-90-5201-875-1.

The meticulous research work undertaken by these scientists, mainly sociologists in this case, transforms them into bone fide revolutionaries when they point out that we have arrived in a blind alley. This is the case of those involved in the European Capright project headed by Robert Salais and funded by the Commission. They were keen to verify Amartya Sen's capability approach as an intellectual springboard for building a new approach to the issue of social and economic democracy.

The ideas expressed by the four editors of the book immediately become the basis of an accusation: as opposed to the “European project for economic and social democracy” developed by the founding fathers, from Robert Schuman to Jacques Delors, European leaders have neglected social dialogue and abandoned their social partners along the way. The fall of communism encouraged them to do this, which marked the end of the ideological partition in the world, particularly in Europe, making it possible for globalisation to become truly global. Suddenly, by marginalising the institutions of social dialogue in the 1990s, triumphant globalisation seriously shook up the European project and social democracy by making it into the bed on which the neo-liberal discourse of free markets and public debt reduction would be launched on free markets. Nonetheless, two different crises have now reminded European leaders that, “without economic and social democracy, political democracy is weak and inadequate”. The first crisis results from finance dominated capitalism and the abandonment of Keynesianism, which led to an exponential rise in unemployment. The second, “more diffuse and pernicious” stems from the developing awareness of citizens that infinite growth equals suicide in terms of resource scarcity, the environment and future generations. Suddenly, “the social question” is back, reviving class conflict, awakening “old nationalist demons” and galvanising “popular sentiment”. In this context, “existing social dialogue structures proved both useful and insufficient”. Over time, the European Union has become, in the eyes of its citizens, “a synonym for the disintegration of public service, job offshoring and austerity measures”. Its loss of credibility has gradually led it to think about “civil society”. The problem, however, is that this marries the best (idealism) and the worst (actors who are only involved in pursuing their own selfish interests) which is why, according to the authors of the book, it is important to clarify the concept and include it in the traditional social dialogue.

This involves outlining the new expanded model of social consultation on the ruins of Fordism and Keynesianism, on which the first part of the book focuses. The second part of the book looks at what transformations need to be made to modes of government, particularly in the context of the social dialogue that should be carried out at different levels in Europe. The third part introduces a number of albeit qualified responses to the question of whether the democratic debate, beyond simple negotiations, is the way ahead for developing social dialogue and subsequently reconciling societies with each other and with their future. Finally, the book contains a number of reflections made with regard to what future position political actors should occupy, their coalitions and the institutions that they should develop for listening to civil society. In the final conclusions they draw, the editors of the book identify three different possibilities that in their opinion appear obvious. Firstly, the different actors in the social dialogue should question the ends of economic cooperation and not simply the means, which will also help to reinvigorate democracy as a whole. This democratic dialogue therefore implies that the institutions should work in total transparency and leave sufficient space for individual aspirations and interaction to be taken into account, which would be the best way of creating the foundations for a society that really is flexible because it is based on consensus. This also implies the need to revise the places in which the social dialogue takes place, as well of the actors involved in it, so that they fully take into account the different specific situations on the ground, of the undertaking at a European level and the different sectors of activity and geographical zones. It is clear that, for example, protecting biodiversity or combating global warming will require more decisions that are not only inspired by the actors but which are also made by involving civil society in the decision-making process. Finally, it is important that the institutions and decision-making procedures are adapted so that the future can be built by everyone and that no one is excluded from the debate. The editors of the book conclude, “If social Europe were to become a vigorous reality, it would not be able to build a new model of prosperity without ideas and partners from citizen sector organisations in civil society”. It is therefore a revolution that effectively needs preparing! At least one involving our mindsets, which will prove more difficult for some people than others …

Michel Theys

*** GEORGE CHOBANOV, JÜRGEN PLÖHN, HORST SCHELLHAASS (Editors): Markets, Sustainability and Social Welfare Enhancement in the European Union. Peter Lang (1 Moosstrasse, Postfach 350, CH-2542 Pieterlen. Tel: [phone] - fax: [phone] - Email: [e-mail] - Internet: http://www.peterlang.com ). "Sofia Conferences on Social and Economic Development in Europe" series, No.3. 2012, 199 pp. €44.80. ISBN 978-3-631-63301-4.

This book provides a report on the 12th and 13th conferences organised by the Faculty of Economy and Business Administration at the University of Sofia in October 2009 and 2010. It contains 14 different contributions by scientists from six countries, which focus on three different themes: theoretical approaches, empirical studies and contributions to sustainability. Several authors specifically examine the transition process developing in Bulgaria. The ideas expressed in these pages are obviously addressed to readers who already have a certain knowledge about these subjects.

(PBo)

*** HASAN GÜRAK: Heterodox Economics. Foundations of Alternative Economics. Peter Lang (see address attached). 2012, 223 pp. €46.95. ISBN 978-3-631-63404-2.

The economist and graduate of the universities of Lund and Istanbul, Hasan Gürak, is, in his way, an iconoclast because he has absolutely no time at all for the… orthodox economists and their woolly theories and who, until very recently indeed, were all part of previous unholy consensus. How long, the author thunders, did it take them to work out that, amongst other things, prices are not and never have been decided by the producers on competitive markets. In the preface he also argues that the world will never be on a sure footing as long as orthodox economists impose their belief in fictitious markets, where producers and consumers interact like robots or where relations are mechanical and hypotheses utopian. In this book, Hasan Gürak expends all his energy on seeking and presenting realistic but alternative approaches to orthodox doctrines. Only the economists themselves will be able to judge whether the author's criticism on the approaches he advocates are valid. This book is mainly be aimed at specialists.

(PBo)

** JEAN LEE: The Two Pillars of the Market. A Paradigm for Dialogue between Theology and Economics. Peter Lang (see address attached. "Studies in Theology, Society and Culture", No. 7. 2011, 293 pp. €52.20. ISBN 978-3-0343-0700-0.

Where is the economy leading us? Has something precious been lost in the human quest for efficiency and perpetual growth? What human qualities are being eroded because we allow market mechanisms to coordinate our daily lives? These are some of the questions that this theologian and accountant seeks to address from a theological perspective in this extraordinary book. Jean Lee is currently a lecturer at the China Graduate School of Theology, Hong Kong. Her book, “Two Pillars of a Market Paradigm” explores her theological premise in the context where the legal contract currently governs the economic world. Based on the principle that theology and the economy share a common fundamental interest with regard to the natural world and human activity, Jean Lee begins her book by underlining the alliance as the basis of society, as well as its economic implications. She then illustrates the universality and appropriateness of the concept of alliance for the economic order, before comparing it with the legal contract, explaining everything away, as well as differentiating the different concepts, their importance and interaction on the market. She then presents the paradigm that she is advocating and illustrates, for example the long-term employment arrangements and which in her opinion testify to the practicability of a “dialogical framework” for managing economic relations in a different way. Finally, she examines fundamental market components in her own unique way of interpreting the economy and looks at what could ultimately make it more ethical.

(MT)

*** INGA LOBOCKA-POGUNTKE: The Evolution of EC Consumer Protection in the Field of Consumer Credit. Peter Lang (see address attached). "Publications Universitaires Européennes / European University Studies" series, 5339. 2012, 271 pp. €52.80. ISBN 978-3-631-62348-0.

Having obtained his doctorate in law at the European University Institute in Florence, Inga Lobocka-Poguntke provides a detailed analysis of the way in which the European Union and the 27 member states have managed the theme of consumer protection over time in the field of consumer credit. His premise is based on the fact that consumer credit constitutes a significant economic activity and should therefore be covered by economic law. Nonetheless, consumer credit entails a significant number of social problems, which implies that consumer credit legislation belongs also to the area of social private law. In this study, Inga Lobocka-Poguntke illustrates how at a European Union level tension has developed between two fundamental objectives, namely economic efficiency embodied in the Single Market and consumer protection and more broadly speaking a society of social justice. The ideas underpinning his thesis are that the European legislator adopted the neoliberal approach by approving the 2008 directive on credit agreements and therefore granted pre-eminence to completion of the internal market without borders. By undermining the importance of national diversity and by largely neglecting significant problems such as consumer insolvency, financial exclusion and responsible lending, the author argues that the European legislator has sacrificed everything to economic efficiency and risks a backlash from citizens in the future against the legislator and the neoliberal model he embodies.

(PBo)

*** SJEF VAN ERP, BRAM AKKERMANS (editors): Cases, Materials and Text on Property Law. Hart Publishing (16c Worcester Place, Oxford, OX1 2JW, UK. Tel: [phone] - fax: 510710 - Email: [e-mail] - Internet: http://www.hartpub.co.uk ). "Ius Commune Casebooks for the Common Law of Europe" series. 2012, 1170 pp. £40. ISBN 978-1-84113-750-6.

Edited by two lecturers in legal studies at the University of Maastricht, this majestic book provides a far reaching comparative analysis of property law in Germany, France, the Netherlands and England and Wales. It also provides references to certain sources in Austria, Belgium, Scotland, Ireland, the US and the European Union. In the first part of the book, the authors provide a description of the nature of property law and its origins. They also illustrate the degree of protection included in property law. Three other chapters provide a detailed explanation of property law, particularly with regard to property laws that can be held in respect of immovables and movables. The way in which these laws are created, transferred, destroyed is systematically explored. This pilgrimage into extracts of primary source documents (legislation and case law), doctrine and soft law, clearly indicates that appropriate legal systems are now much more harmonised than previously and that economic integration, in particular integration of financial markets and freedom of establishment, has led to the integration of particular areas of property law as mortgage law.

(PBo)

*** Futuribles. Analyse et prospective. Futuribles Sarl (47 rue de Babylone, F-75007 Paris. Tel: [phone] - fax: [phone] - Email: [e-mail] - Internet: http://www.futuribles.com ). January-February 2013, No. 392, 168 pp. €22. Annual subscription: €115. ISBN 978-2-84387-404-8.

This edition of the prospective journal created in 1974 by Hugues de Jouvenel provides a review of a book that appeals for a new mode of corporate operations. In « L'entreprise autrement », the businessman, Freddy Sarfati demonstrates how enterprise has become “toxic” due to its control and disregard of its own workers, as well as financial diktats. Drawing on his own extensive experience, he demonstrates how a company can operate in total confidence and transparency with its workers and also succeed just as well or better than its competitors. This issue of the journal also includes a very comprehensive feature on a post-fossil fuel society whose cities will become crucial players in this new world. Another article focuses on young people influenced by organic farming. Jean-François Drevet, a former official at the European Commission examines the relationship between the Union and Turkey and observes that arguments for opposing this country joining the European club are increasing all the time.

(MT)