3 February 2015 | Distinguished Speaker Series
Sleepwalking Again: Europe and the End of the Pax Americana 1914-2014
Introduction
Historically, the unstated foundations of European security policy, both at State and collective level, rested on the Pax Americana – relying on it both as deterrent and as the ultimate and true guarantor in case of real hostilities. The result of this reliance was a huge gap between Europe’s security needs and Europe’s “own resources”. Europe’s capacity to use, as last resort, force to protect its values such as preventing the genocide in Bosnia of a religious minority was shown to be entirely inadequate.
The Pax Americana is over. What we are witnessing today is not diminished American engagement (e.g. as in post-Vietnam) but diminishment in American “Global Authority” in both containing and restraining threats. There are also doubts – real or illusory – about American credibility as ultimate guarantor. Professor Weiler made the case and explained the complex reasons for the end of the Pax Americana.
The current security circumstance is similar to the period before the First World War – and Europe is sleepwalking again.
About the Speaker
Professor J.H.H. Weiler has been President of the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence since 1 September 2013, where he co-founded the Academy of European Law and the European Policy Unit, the precursor of the Robert Schuman Centre. Joseph Weiler also leads the ASEAN Integration Through Law Project at the Centre for International Law at the National University of Singapore (NUS). He is also Professor at the NUS Law School; University Professor and European Union Jean Monnet Chair at New York University School of Law (on leave); and Honorary Professor at various universities such as University College, London and the University of Copenhagen. He is also a WTO and NAFTA Panelist. Joseph Weiler is Editor in Chief of EJIL – the European Journal of International Law and ICON – the International Journal of Constitutional Law. He is the author of numerous articles and books in the fields of international, comparative, and European law.
