post functionalism

Question 1

idea behind functionalism

Answer 1

GAL-TAN cleavage
green alternative libertarian vs traditional authorial nationalist. progressive vs conservative. they believe that the political spectrum is no longer based on the original cleavages and the left right but the vertical gal tan.

Question 2

assumptions

Answer 2

1. functionality and efficiency are not sufficient to ensure public support
2. public opinion affects voting on eu matters and therefore European integration
3. eu integration also affects public opinion
4. states do not have monopoly on representation political parties are key integration.
5. public opinion on the EU is structured along economic and identity cleavages, identity is often decisive.

Question 3

how does it work in European integration

Answer 3

1. mismatch between the form and the pressure to keep functioning, leading to a discussion on reform
2. public/ interest groups pick up on this discussion and the role of the parties in this discussion is central to how this discussion evolves
3. arena rules are the formal rules that steer a discussion into a certain area
4. issues go to the mass arena when the discussion is politicise, with an identity (gal tan) or distributional ( economic) left right) logic

Question 4

empirical critique

Answer 4

doesn’t explain integration despite politicisation (eurocrisis)

Question 5

theoretical

Answer 5

theory is vague on how identities are constructed and change

Question 6

aftermath

Answer 6

more integration makes it so:
1. eu issues more often end up in the mass arena
2. there is more gal tan polarisation in public opinion and party systems
3. more issues on mass arena
4. will be more polarization