Search

The discursive construction of security in the European Union (EU) candidate states has received little attention. One effect of this gap is to discreetly frame EU applicants as learners or adopters of Western concepts of security. This overlooks the key role of local intellectuals of statecraft in the making of security both in the candidate states and in the Western institutions with which these states integrate. Based on the case of Estonia, this paper exposes the essential obscurity and fluidity of security in Estonia, and highlights the role of Estonian intellectuals in the making and operationalizing of this fluidity. The paper thereby emphasizes the capacity of East European intellectuals of statecraft to influence the problematizations of security in these states themselves and in Western writings about them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article outlines the fiscal policies of the Post European Monetary Union (EMU) in Europe. It reveals the EMU gives an exceptional opportunity for social scientists to learn the process of institutional change. The public sector in European Union countries consumes or disposes half of the gross domestic product (GDP), eventhough most of the government resources are devoted to the provision of traditional public goods, redistributive transfers and social insurance programs account for much share of the growth in size of the public sector over the past century. Discussed are the details of the issue.

The article outlines the fiscal policies of the European Union. It reveals that the treaties of Maastricht and Amsterdam deepened the federation on issues pertaining to defense and development and also widened to take in the Austria, Finland and Sweden. Meanwhile, the Treaty of Nice has widened its relations eastward where most East European accession countries join the organization. It mentions that the Treaty of Maastricht laid the groundwork for Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and set up the macroeconomic requirements of the member countries that want to join EMU. Discussed are the details of the issue.