Europe in the face of Globalisation 1870-1914 – a study of the economic relationship between the European nation states (continuation request)
Economic and Social History
Final Report Abstract
For a long time, the rise of the European nation state at the end of the 19th century was interpreted as a process that led to the mutual alienation of countries that had little interest in European or international cooperation. More recent publications have since rejected this assumption. Firstly, influential networks of intellectuals and scholars were already developing during this period, and world exhibitions were mostly held in European capitals. In addition, the labour and capital markets, communication networks, infrastructure, etc. were closely intertwined – not only, but primarily in Europe. Secondly, it was an era that saw numerous intergovernmental congresses, which often resulted in international treaties. Thirdly, the socalled first wave of globalisation increased the interdependence of all countries involved in world trade. The study pursues three objectives: Firstly, it exists to demonstrate that the European nation state was not conceived as a politically isolated phenomenon, on the contrary. Since the middle of the 19th century, politicians have been aware of the fact that national regulations and laws could only function if the respective states were embedded in a network of international treaties and regulations. Secondly, the project aims to better distinguish between the three concepts of globalisation, internationalism and European integration. By analysing social and patent policy, it can be shown that although international coordination was important in both cases, the selected strategies differed surprisingly strongly from one another. Thirdly, the current debate on European integration will be accompanied by a historical perspective. This project succeeded. It is evident from the policies of states and governments before 1914 that they were aware of their interdependence on many issues. Sovereignty was not interpreted as an absolute phenomenon in which states were completely independent of other countries. And the term “European integration” in particular could be clarified to the effect that it was not necessarily an intentional process. On the contrary, integration has taken place without the existence of an actor or an agreement that defines the goal of transnational convergence.European integration before 1914 thus differs significantly from that of the second half of the 20th century. The central point is that the impetus for integration at practically every point in time emanated from a specific problem. In the case of social policy, it was migration in particular, often at the common border, which led to practical problems. In the case of patents, it was regularly trade agreements in which patent issues were clarified at the same time. This also applied to the period after 1873, after which an international agreement already existed in principle with the Paris Convention. However, intergovernmental co-operation nevertheless continued.
Publications
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« Les brevets en Europe avant la Première Guerre mondiale », Encyclopédie d'histoire numérique de l'Europe [en ligne], ISSN 2677-6588, 2016, verfügbar seit dem 20.06.2020
Yaman Kouli:
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« La Première Guerre mondiale a-t-elle mis fin à l’intégration européenne ? », Encyclopédie d'histoire numérique de l'Europe [en ligne], ISSN 2677-6588, 2021
Yaman Kouli & Léonard Laborie
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The Politics and Policies of European Economic Integration, 1850–1914. Palgrave Studies in Economic History. Springer International Publishing.
Kouli, Yaman & Laborie, Léonard
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Wirtschaft, in: Thomas Gerhards (Hrsg.): Staat, Nation und Moderne: Europa 1870-1920, Stuttgart 2022, S. 117–38.
Yaman Kouli & Guido Thiemeyer
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European Disintegration and Integration During the First World War Revisited. Journal of European Integration History, 29(2), 187-204.
KOULI, Yaman & LABORIE, Léonard
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The European Foundations of National Economies. European Entanglements from a French-German Perspective (1870-1914), Düsseldorf 2023, Habilitationsschrift.
Yaman Kouli
