*** WILLIAM A. PELZ: Against Capitalism. The European Left on the March. Peter Lang (29 Broadway, 18th floor, New York, NY 10006, United States. Tel: (41-32) 3761717 - Fax: 3761727 - Email: info@peterlang.com - Internet: http://www.peterlang.com ). "Studies in Modern European History" series, No. 52. 2007, 159 pp, €30-80. ISBN 978-0-8204-6776-4.
In this book, historian William Pelz provides a critical interpretation of several periods in history, namely the birth of European socialism at the end of the 19th century and the start of the twentieth. Annoyed that the improvements in living standards and political rights granted to Europeans are often described as being the benefits of industrial capitalism, the author demonstrates that it was the action of millions of people who shared the socialist ideal that forced the decision-makers of the time to concede free parliamentary elections, for example, and social security. To this end, he describes and analyses the history of the movement, from events like the Paris Commune of 1871 to 1921, the year in which he feels that the radical Left foundered.
Starting off by studying the events that led to the Paris Commune which, although put down, inspired generations of people on the Left, the author goes on to describe the various events that led to the founding of the first Socialist parties - and their banning in some countries. At the start, Socialist parties were decidedly revolutionary but the movement would experience its first splits ahead of the First World War, with revisionist movements arising in Germany and forcing it to simmer down while the movement split in Russia, not to mention the spats with the anarchists and syndicalists. These developments led to the Left in Europe becoming very divided at the start of the twentieth century. There is a chapter on the twentieth century, which would see the Left facing colonialism and imperialism at the very time as Czar Nicolas II was facing mass strikes and the first Soviets (workers' councils) in Russia in 1905, followed by the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 and the Czar's abdication and subsequent death. This was also the time of the First World War - which the Left strongly opposed, particularly at Zimmerwald, but failed to prevent. The author shows that radical organisations were also divided over what attitude to take to the First World War, a war which almost lead to the Bolsheviks taking power in Germany during the 1917 mutinies. This failed revolution, in response to the atrocities and horror of war, spread to Austria, France, Ireland and England, although the authorities in Austria were able to nip the rebellion in the blood. The author also analyses the repercussions of the Great War in Italy, where the Italian Socialist Party's failure to act left a vacuum which Mussolini would soon take advantage of…
This book will be useful reading for anyone interested in history or in Communism. Its talented author provides food for thought, urging readers to reconsider the original revolutionary visions of society which, whether one likes it or not, have helped shape modern European society
Nuno Duarte
*** JAN VAN DER HARST (Ed.): Beyond the Custom's Union: The European Community's Quest for Deepening, Widening and Completion, 1969-1975. Etablissements Emile Bruylant (67 rue de la Régence, B-1000 Brussels. Tel: (32-2) 5129842 - Fax: 5119477 - Internet: http://www.bruylant.be ). "Groupe de liaison des historiens auprès de la Commission européenne" series, No. 11. 2007, 408 pp, ISBN 978-2-8027-2428-5.
Delving into recently opened archives, this book focusses on the huge shake-ups in the European Community from 1969 to 1975. The book aims to determine the extent to which the ambitions put forward at The Hague European Summit of 1969 - namely the famous three point programme of 'achievement, deepening and enlargement' submitted by Georges Pompidou - were met. Sixteen essays in total look at this 'period of both hope and disillusion,' providing 'new insights into the historical events which took place during the years under discussion'. The various crises of the time - the oil crisis, unemployment, the return to protectionist measures by the state, monetary instability, tense relations with the United States and conflicts between EU Member States - are studied in the book from a new angle, with much space devoted to progress achieved at the time. In the introduction, Jan Van Der Harst explains that 'some of the European problems of the time were less bleak than has often been assumed in the literature', at the same time as Europe was experiencing the emergence of the European public arena and new forms of cooperation among Member States were developing like regional policy, social policy and education policy. There was also an attempt to build a European cultural model. The book is without doubt instructive reading on one of the key periods in the European project.
(TBa)
*** ERIKA SZYSZCZAK: The Regulation of the State in Competitive Markets in the EU. Editions Hart Publishing (16C Worcester Place, OX1 2JW, UK. Tel: (44-1865) 517530 - Fax: 510710 - email: mail@hartpub.co.uk - Internet: http://www.hartpub.co.uk. "Modern Studies in European Law" series, No. 11. 2007, 293 pp. ISBN 978-1-84113-497-0.
When the Rome Treaty was signed, state intervention in national economics was a common practice, whether in terms of subsidies or state monopolies, to such an extent that an article in the new treaty even recognised these practices in law. In the 1990s, Europe gradually moved in the direction of liberalising these markets, encouraging its Member States to privatise state companies and withdraw from the economic domain, giving competition free rein. The European Commission introduced rules to encourage free competition on the market although it was very reluctant to actually use the rules against sovereign Member States. In the goodness of time, new laws promoting liberalisation were passed and countries gradually took a back seat. The eight chapters in this book examine this process, and the role and nature of the state in modern European economies. Professor in competition and labour law at Leicester University in the UK and Jean Monnet professor of European law, the author starts by giving a history of the role of states in the business world. She goes on to analyse the application of the competition rules in EU Treaty Articles 81 and 82, before studying state monopolies and Article 86, introduced with the specific aim of regulating state monopolies. Erika Szyszczak then focuses on the process of liberalising the market and public companies, like the Post Office and telecoms, also examining the role of state aid in European markets. She ends by concentrating on the relation between the state and ordinary people, more specifically on the services traditionally provided by public bodies that have been privatised.
(NDu)
*** GIORGIO MONTI: EU Competition Law. Cambridge University Press (The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 8RU, UK. Tel.: (44-1223) 312393 - Fax: 315052 - Internet: http://www.cambridge.org ). "Law in Context" series. 2007, 527 pp. ISBN 978-0-521-70075-7.
Written for young competition law students, this book explores EU competition law. Lecturer in law at the London School of Economics and Political Science, the author analyses EU competition law from a legal viewpoint, of course, but also from the political and scientific viewpoints, as both business and politics are decisive in determining how competition law is shaped, as are the bodies that apply and ensure respect of the law. Over thirteen chapters, Giorgio Monti analyses the relevant legislative provisions, delving into economic theories which he describes in a user-friendly way and exploring the political background to them. The book looks at a series of case studies from modern events, analysing each in detail. Subjects covered include oligopolies, liberalisation, unfair competition and merger and acquisition rules.
(NDu)
*** NICOLAS HAYOZ, SIMON HUG (Eds.): Tax Evasion, Trust, and State Capacities. Peter Lang (1 Moostrasse, CH-2542 Pieterlen. Tel: (41-32) 3761717 - Fax: 3761727 - Email: info@peterlang.com - Internet: http://www.peterlang.com ). "Interdisciplinary Studies on Central and Eastern Europe", No. 3. 2007, 385 pp, €60. ISBN 978-3-03910-651-6.
How can we explain why individuals decide (or refuse) to pay taxes? Why does tax evasion vary from one country to another? The aim of this book, as its title suggests, is to study tax evasion and trust and the state's ability to tackle this. The authors therefore 'try to assess the progress which has been made in Central and Eastern Europe with regard to improving tax morale'. Although huge efforts have been made before and after the new central and East European countries joined the EU, Nicolas Hayoz and Simon Hug, university lecturers in politics in Switzerland, believe that in some of these countries, 'cultures of distrust imply also a culture of tax evasion'. It remains particularly difficult to collect taxes, especially income tax, and the public authorities find it difficult to improve matters. In an attempt to decide how these countries should tackle the issue, the politics and sociology of the countries are studied, along with case studies of countries like Russia and Switzerland. The outcome is that the efficiency of tax systems, good governance, democracy, coercion capacity and the generation of fair returns seem to be ingredients facilitating the emergence of high morality when it comes to taxes. As for the existence of miracle tax receipts, the authors are rather sceptical, arguing that 'the experiences with tax evasion and its link to trust and state capacities are very diverse'.
(TBa)
*** ANTOINE PELLION: Renouveler la production d'énergie en Europe: un défi environnemental, industriel et politique. Fondation Robert Schuman (29 bld Raspail, F-75007 Paris. Tel.: (33-1) 53631596 - Fax: 53638301 - Email: info@robert-schuman.eu - Internet: http://www.robert-schuman.eu ). "Notes de la Fondation Robert Schuman" series, No. 43. 2008, 93 pp, €10.
The problem of energy in the European Union is growing in importance, virtually mirroring the rising cost of a barrel of oil. In this short, compact study, Antoine Pellion starts from the assumption that the energy challenge can only be properly met at EU level. In this connection, the creation of a European energy market would be a first step forward but insufficient in itself. The author argues that it is absolutely vital for the EU to add to this a genuine industrial policy for energy, implying the drawing up of a European Union strategy associating public authorities and captains of industry. Such a strategy will have to make clear choices between the various energy sources and technologies developed by the Member States, and therefore the author argues that the EU will have to publish clear guidelines to optimise and coordinate the action of the Member States. In the same spirit, argues Antoine Pellion, the EU should make progress in assessing and getting various technologies agreed upon, so that each can provide as much as it can to the EU energy mix, irrespective of the choices of each Member State at home.
(PBo)
*** BERNARD DEFLESSELLES, MICHEL DELEBARRE: Galileo: un pilier majeur de la puissance scientifique et technologique de l'Europe. Délégation pour l'Union européenne de l'Assemblée nationale (Boutique de l'Assemblée nationale, 7 rue Aristide Briand, F-75007 Paris. Tel: (33-1) 40630033 - Internet: http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr ). "Rapport d'information", No. 440. 2007, 71 pp, 3-50 euros. ISBN 978-2-11-122772-9.
This newsletter analyses the process following the European Union's decision a decade ago to introduce a satellite navigation programme of its own via the Egnos and Galileo programmes, the first of which was designed to improve on the United States' GPS system, and the second to become independent of GPS. After explaining that the initial timeline could not be respected due to dysfunction and collapse in the public-private partnership idea, the two French parliamentarians who wrote this newsletter assess the European Commission's proposals for relaunching the programmes, particularly the funding mechanisms that are meant to provide a further 2.4 billion euros, and the granting of future public contracts. Welcoming the compromises reached, the authors conclude that that European Commission and EU Member States now have to actually introduce a Europe-specific system if they are to take full advantage of what looks like being a massive market in the future.
(MT)
*** EMILE BLESSIG, JACQUES MYARD: Ne jouons pas avec les jeux: pour une politique maîtrisée. Délégation pour l'Union européenne de l'Assemblée nationale (see above). "Rapport d'information", No. 693. 2008, 135 pp, €5. ISBN 978-2-11-124367-5.
To say the least, the European Court of Justice ruling establishing the freedom to provide services in the gambling industry has led to much wailing and grinding of teeth in some Member States. The European Commission's decision, in the light of the Court's ruling, to launch infringement proceedings against several Member States suspected of trying to protect their monopolies has not helped. In this newsletter, two French parliamentarians argue for a controlled gambling policy based on strict rules covering the opening of national set-ups to competition and the introduction of a genuine policy for averting addiction to gambling.
(PBo)