(The latest version of this page is at Pattern Descriptions. An archived copy of this page is held at https://www.patternsofpower.org/edition02/6652.htm)
The only powers which national politicians have pooled, and which are therefore exercised jointly, either require co-ordination to achieve the objectives of the group or require extra safeguards before changes can be made. Ceding authority over some issues doesn’t mean being subsumed.
Decisions about justice and standards are more likely to be objectively sound – to be “position-independent” in Amartya Sen’s terminology – if they are carefully negotiated on a collective basis, in contrast to decisions made by a single government with short-term political pressures upon it.[1]
The EU has a wider perspective than national politicians and is less likely to make hasty tactical decisions. Perhaps unsurprisingly, though, given many politicians’ love of power, Sen’s argument isn’t often explained – so people tend to be unaware of the force of it and to be too trustful of national politicians to be the best guardians of their interests.
© PatternsofPower.org, 2014
[1] Amartya Sen, in chapter 7 of his book The Idea of Justice, argued for the value of bringing additional perspectives to bear on matters of justice.