There are so-called Hallelujah Europeans who think that Europe's nation states can be dispensed with in the foreseeable future. But betting on this would be a serious political mistake. For it could endanger European integration itself.
There is one reason in particular for this: democracy itself. So far and in the longer term, the member states provide the most important "framework" in which democracy takes place. These include: A common language in which every citizen can participate. A historical experience that is taught in school. Political debates in previously predominantly nationally oriented media. A nationally perceived economic development. And finally, the party landscape, which is shaped differently in each member state.
Criticism of the nation state is often justified in cosmopolitan terms. The American philosopher Martha Nussbaum dealt with this. (1)(2) In a conversation on Deutschlandfunk Kultur (3) she refers to the Dutchman Hugo Grotius (4) (5), who worked as a political philosopher and jurist in the 17th century. Nussbaum: "The nation is very important because it is the unit that gives people autonomy, that is, the power to give themselves laws of their own choosing." ... "And the nation state is accountable to the people in a way that larger units are not."
The political structure of the EU has so far been too weak and too undemocratic, Nussbaum continued. The nation state, with all its shortcomings, is the largest unit known to date that allows people direct responsibility and a say in creating their own laws. This is difficult to refute. But on the other hand, there is nothing to prevent the citizens of the European Union from changing this democratically. Simply because it serves their interests better. That it is they themselves who democratise and thus strengthen the European Union.
Because it is through their participation that European unification is anchored in the societies of the member states. Democracy and political strength - two sides of the one, European coin!
German in the original, automatically translated by www.deepl.com
Errors in content or translation - eurolandpost(at)gmx.eu
(1) https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha_Nussbaum
(2) https://www.wbg-wissenverbindet.de/shop/34254/kosmopolitismus
(3) https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/martha-nussbaum-kosmopolitismus-100.html
(4) https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Grotius
(5) https://www.deutsche-biographie.de/sfz98708.html#adbcontent