In Search of European Federalism

The article deals with the historical development of European federalism, and its role in the development of international law and the emergence of European law. It looks at how the most important European representatives of the idea of peaceful world federation opposed the belligerent and expansionist power policies pursued by the European sovereign countries during history. The article concentrates on the federalist ideas that were proposed with the aim of transcending the dogma of sovereign state, which made it impossible to establish peaceful relationships and democracy among states. It presents those federalist ideas and principles that became part of European law, and shows the differences between the two main oppositional political currents of European policy, the federalists and the intergovernmentalists.