Continentalism is more influential than language. Originally
associated with the American vision of a ‘manifest destiny’ of the United States
to occupy the whole North American continent, the word now refers specifically to social
and economic policies that encourage and advance economic and political integration of the
countries of North America.
The term continentalism is also used generally to refer to
processes of economic and political integration of continental nations. The North American
Free Trade Agreement is an example of continentalism at work.
Continental in US history refers to the colonies or States of
America collectively, particularly at the time of the War of Independence.
Continental Congress in US history refers to the three
congresses held by the American colonies in revolt against British rule in 1774, 1775, and
1776 respectively.
Continentalist in US history refers to an advocate of the
federation of the States after the War of Independence.
The North American Free Trade Agreement is an example of
continentalism at work. In a key study of the changing framework of Ontarian political
economy, Thomas Courchene and Colin Telmer argue that the transition to the more overt
form of continentalism that accompanied the CU-FTA and the NAFTA served to re-orient the
Ontario economy in a way that altered its position as the metropolitan core of the
Canadian economy. - THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF HIGH INCOME TAXATION, Capital taxation, path
dependence and political institutions in Denmark, Steffen Ganghof - Max Planck Institute
for the Study of Societies - ga@mpifg.de
The strategic unity of continentalism and neoliberalism lies in
the mechanism that the emerging common market provides for shifting the balance of class
forces in Canada to the advantage of capital. As capital circuits become more fully
continental, investment will flow to the cheapest and most compliant sections of the North
American workforce. - WILLIAM K. CARROLL University of Victoria.
Clarkson, Stephen - 1988 Continentalism: The conceptual challenge for Canadian social
science. Pp. 23-43 in The John Porter Memorial Lectures 1984-1987. Montreal: Canadian
Sociology and Anthropology Association
"Britain's decision to go to war with the Central Powers in
1914 tends thus to be explained in terms of London's assessment of how the balance of
power in Europe would tilt against Britain in the case of UK neutrality, while the
hesitations and ambivalence about any 'continental commitment' during the interwar years
are attributed to a combination of economic and military weakness, a desire to avoid a new
bloody conflict, and a sense of commitment towards global and imperial interests not
European ones. The initial aloofness towards the Six is put down to the perceived
difference in stature between Britain and the main continental powers in the immediate
postwar years, a lack of economic interest in continental regional integration as opposed
to Commonwealth free trade and global monetary liberalisation, and the contrary pull of
Empire, whereas the belated turn towards the EEC is explained in terms of Britain's
diminished strength relative to the Superpowers, the ongoing disappearance of the
Empire/Commonwealth option, and American pressure."
"Britain's disinclination to involve itself too deeply in 1930s Europe was bolstered
by an equally strong suspicion of domestic continental politics."
"British European policy-making in the first years of the Cold War, was deeply
influenced by the 'lesson' of 1940, namely that no continental country could be considered
militarily reliable." - Piers Ludlow - All At Sea
The Meaning of 'Europe' in British Political Discourse. - iue.it/Personal/Strath/archive/
archive_seminars/downloads/ludlow.doc |