Nye's Common Market

Nye describes the conception of neo-functionalist political theory as the rational outcome of total war. Nye supports the classical neo-functionalists (if that makes sense) and their motives to integrate states in a region politically to achieve peace. However, he calls this loosely structured and suggests a revised neo-functionalist approach of a stringent common market. Logically, a common market with political roots would imply an economic union, which would lead to peace. Western Europe is a perfect example of regional integration, but even it has its faults. Haas uses an economic union to create a broader functional model. Nye suggests we cut through the single-path spillover theory and directly implement a common market. This would involve a large number of political actors and use the spillover theory inherent in economic policy to shape political policy, defense policy, etc.

The common market leads to a trade interdependency and progressively to peace, a simpler functionalist evolution. Negative critics declare the common market forces a state to surrender too much economic autonomy, but Nye’s approach says to cut to the point rather than wade into the waters of integration, stripping off your nationalism piece by piece like layers of clothes. A direct common market allows you to preserve your sense of national culture through regional integration as well, and reduces unstable self-determinational attitudes. I enjoy Nye’s neo-functionalist model, but I think it is a little too hip for 2007. Once we take regional integration too far and collapse back upon ourselves, we will consider Nye seriously.