The European Superpower

‘A number of recent books advance the argument that Europe will soon become a superpower. This book argues that that day has already arrived. Even those who remain unconvinced by this claim will find much food for thought in the author’s arguments about the changing bases of power and influence in the 21st century.’ David Andrews, Scripps College and European Union Center of California

Conventional wisdom holds that the United States is the world’s last remaining superpower, a claim based mainly on its enormous military muscle. In this important and challenging new book John McCormick rejects the notion of US dominance and argues instead that it must now compete for influence with a new breed of superpower: the European Union. As well as being the world’s biggest capitalist marketplace and the world’s biggest trading power, McCormick argues, the European Union has also become the world’s most effective champion of democracy and capitalism, a compelling example of the possibilities of civilian power, and a challenger to America’s international cultural dominance. Europe is much better adapted to the needs of a 21st century superpower and its emergence as the leading competitor to the United States in a new post-cold war bipolar international order poses a fundamental challenge to the way we think about power.


John McCormick is Professor and Chair of the Department of Political Science at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), USA. He is Visiting Research Fellow at Sussex European institute, UK and has been a Visiting Professor at the College of Europe, Belgium and the University of Exeter, UK. He is author of 11 books, including Environmental Policy in the European Union and Understanding the European Union.

• Publisher: Palgrave
• Author: John McCormick
• Language: English
• Type: Paperback

Price: 30.66 €

Price is exclusive shipping costs. For sales inside Belgium 6% VAT is added to the book price.