This issue is permeated by the ideological fundamentals of federalism : perpetual peace as a goal, law, democracy and respect for diversity as means. A number of articles deal with Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, whether in terms of memory - the war is also a war of history - or culture, with the clash of language policies, or in terms of its consequences for the Union and its integration. These articles are a reminder, from different points of view, of "the need to create a world federation to overcome the instability towards which we are irrevocably heading", as Théo Boucart reminds us in his article.
This war also completely disrupts the world of nationstates developed since the Congress of Vienna in 1815. As Bertrand Badie said on France Culture in June, states no longer have a monopoly on violence, whether legitimate or not. This increases global insecurity all the more, since diplomacy can no longer establish relative stability.
This war also raises the question of imperialism, and several articles on the question of minority languages and cultures (Corsica, New Caledonia, Australia) provide a point of view to complement the critique of nationalism as a troublemaker at all levels. One of them points out the paradox of France, where we want to maintain state sovereignty at the European level while continuing to deny local sovereignty as part of a centuries-old centralist dynamic... demonstrating the fundamental incomprehension of French institutions with regard to federalism. Particularly those of the Fifth Republic. Finally, women’s voices are being raised to propose other paths. Céline Spector’s article focuses on solidarity s an essential element of European integration. She brilliantly explains how ordoliberalism is not a foregone conclusion, and provides arguments that may prove useful in the run-up to the 2024 European elections. Barbara Wootton, whose text we are publishing during the Second World War, also points out that socialism is not possible without federalism ; today, this analysis could be extended to many other political projects based on solidarity and cooperation.
We are therefore delighted to be able to offer you, thanks to our authors, a compendium of reflections on the world in which we live, blending history and the present, always geared to building a desirable future.