30/09/2013
Luigi Vittorio Ferraris
Modern history in its continuous flow presents successive international systems: the Westphalian; the Vienna Congress, which tried unsuccessfully to thwart changes; the League of Nations failed in its endeavor for peace. After the 1945 victory a new system was introduced: a bipolar one built on the contrast between two different ideological approaches. During the ensuing Cold War it was not perceived timely that the Soviet system has started slowly to lose its grip after 1956; as a consequence of the events in 1989-1991 it looked like that the United Nations system could at last work: the Gulf War as a lonely success of multilateralism. This opened the way to the widespread
engagement to export the democracy of the western brand and human rights: both should prevail universally to make peace possible.
Nicolas Lewkowicz
This paper charts the historical evolution of the social contract, paying particular attention to the implications of the link between economic ‘enclosures’ and the concept of political representation. The Author outlines the ways in which the social contract underwent a meliorist reordering in the aftermath of World War Two and how, since the 1970s, tables are being turned in
favour of the return to the minimal State. The paper posits the idea that the severance of the link between political action and economic improvement is consolidating conservative democracy as
the political consciousness of the ‘Market-state’.
Pietro Calamia
The Author, at the time chairman of the Permanent Representatives Committee at the Council, retraces the essential stages of the preparation and unfolding of the European Council in Milan at the end of June 1985. The principal issue was the calling of an Intergovernmental Conference to push the European integration and achieve the single market. In that perspective it was also necessary to enlarge the field of the majority vote, the role of the European Parliament and, consequently, to adjust the institutional rules of the treaties. The United Kingdom was openly against the calling of the Conference, the Benelux countries and
Italy in favour, France and Germany hesitant.
Massimo Castaldo
Syria, with a majority of Sunnis, has being ruled by a minority of Alawis since 1963. The conquest of power by this minority is a development of colonial policies of France after the First World War, as mandatory power of the League of Nations. The French took advantage of the fragmentation of Syrian population to divide the territory into separate political units and even small States, like the States of Alep and Damascus as a barrier against Arab nationalism, fearing that penetrating in Syria it could hinder their rule and have dangerous repercussions on Algeria. The French gave territorial autonomy to the Alawis, developed their economy and their education and formed with the Alawi youth the troupes spéciales, an auxiliary corps of the French Colonial Army. Well
trained, it will become the nucleus of the future Syrian Army.
Michele Tossani
This November, the United States will elect the president who will run the country until 2016. On the ballot are the current president, Barak Obama, for the Democratic Party and his contester, the
ex-governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney. Obama’s victory in 2008 seemed to show the will of the American people to break away from the past, particularly from G.W. Bush heredity, and to
bring the country out of its economic crisis. Obama’s success was seen by many as a sign of the eclipse of American conservatism, an eclipse destined to last for some time. After four years, however, the democratic electoral promises remain unfulfilled due either to the weak leadership of the president, forced to compromise on controversial issues, such as the health care reform, or
the increasing economic crisis.
Kagefumi Ueno
It is worthwhile to question whether or not it is justifiable for Asians to give higher priority to their diplomatic relations with the Holy See (hereinafter referred to as the Vatican), while the sense of
distance, in particular religious distance, between Asia and the Vatican is unlikely to be shortened in the near future. My answer to this is: «Yes, it is justifiable», due to the four factors which keep
the Vatican’s international stature significant, which would justify even non-Christian countries to place their diplomats in Rome. At the same time, the elevated international stature of many Asian
countries is also the reality of today, which the Vatican seems to have a bit overlooked so far.
Anatoly Adamishin
The Author answers a series of questions concerning Russia – European relations: political mentalities are so different in Russia and in Europe to undermine reciprocal comprehension?
Does Russia belong to Europe? Should Russia become a member of the Eu? Russia and Europe, are they ready to face the geopolitical challenges of the XXI century? Could they build together a
strategic partnership? What should they do to reach this goal?
Marco Ricceri
What is Eurasia? To close a knowledge gap that is still prevailing among the citizens of the European Union, the article describes the features of the agreements signed by Belarus, Russian
Federation and Kazakhstan, which led to the establishment of a Customs Union, effective since 2011, and subsequently, the Eurasian Economic Area, entered into force January 1, 2012. These
concrete achievements are the outcome of an aggregative process which started in the mid-90s. The article reconstructs the main stages of this process, aimed at promoting the emergence of a
new international community, the Eurasian Union, in a vast area whose extreme boundaries are with Europe and China.
