European Integration and the Communist Dilemma: Communist Party Responses to Europe in Greece, Cyprus and Italy

241 Pages·2013·37.121 MB·English

by  Giorgos Charalambous

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ASHGATE
European lntegration
and the Communist
Dilemma
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EUROPEAN INTEGRATION AND THE
COMMUNIST DILEMMA
Charalambous sheds a great deal of new light on policy eyolution within the
three communist parties he examines - the Greek KKE, Itqlian Rifundazione, and
Cypriot AKEL. The case studies are well researched and genuinely fascinating.
The author's comparative analysis of why these communist parties have pursued
such dffirent policies on European integration and supranational pan-European
cooperation (including Europeqn party-building) is fascinating. This book mqkes
a valuable contribution to the literature on Europeqnization, parties and party
evolution, and the politics of the European radical left.
Richard Dunphy, University of Dundee, UK
The policy positions of Europe's radical left parties are of particular signfficance
in light of the momentous changes in the direction of European integration and
the euro-zone. This book, with its state-of-the-art analysis of a select number of
western European Communist parties'evolution vis-a-vis the European Union,
offers valuable insights on this phenomenon.
Robert Ladrech, Keele University, LIK
Filling an important gap, this book offers a timely reminder of the variation and
contingencies underpinning the domestic support for European integration. We
learn much about the ideological and strategic dilemmas posedfor parties outside
the fold', appreciating the limits of inclusion. With Europe beset by crisis and
uncertainty, the book could hardly be more topicol.
Kevin Featherstone, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK
Tb my parents,
Charis and Angela
European Integratton and the
Communist Dilemma
Communist Parfy Responses to Europe
in Greece, Cyprus and Italy
GIORGOS CHARALAMBOUS
(Jniversity of Cyprus
ASHGATE
@ Giorgos Charalambous 2013
All rights reserved. No part ofthis publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher.
Giorgos Charalambous has asserted his right under the Copynght, Designs and Patents Act,
1988, to be identified as the author of this work.
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Charalambous, Giorgos.
European integration and the communist dilemma : commuriist party responses to
Europe in Greece, Cyprus and Italy.
l. European Union - Greece. 2. European Union - Cyprus. 3. European Union - Italy.
4. Kommounistikon Komma tes Hellados. 5. Anorthotiko Komma Ergazomenou Laou
(Cyprus) 6. Partito della rifondazione comunista. 7. Europe - Economic integration -
Political aspects. 8. Nationalism and communism - Europe. 9. Communism and
intemational relations - Europe. 10. Communist strategy.
I. Title
320.5'32'0944c23
Library of Congress Cataloeing-in-Publication Data
Charalambous, Giorgos.
European integration and the communist dilemma : communist party responses to
Europe in Greece, Cyprus, and Italy / by Giorgos Charalambous.
p.cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978- I -4094-363 5 -5 (hardbackpsBN 978- l -4094-3636-2 (ebook) l. Europe-
Economic integration-Political aspects. 2. Kommounistikon Komma tes Hellados-
Case studies. 3. Anorthotiko Komma Ergazomenou Laou (Cypruspase studies. 4.
Partito della rifondazione comunista-{ase studies. I. Title.
JN15.C4422012
341.242'2-4c23
2012024265
rsBN 978 1409436355 (hbk)
ISBN 9781409436362 (ebk - PDF)
ISBN 978 1409 47 4616 (ebk - ePUB)
ni
,,IjT",
*Es ;U:":ffi;; Printed and bound in Great Britain by the
MPG Books Group, UK.
Contents
List of Figures and Thbles vu
Aclcnowledgements ix
List of Abbreviations xi
Introduction
I
Domain
The Book's
1
Lens
The Research Questions and the Conceptual 4
Method of Empirical Investigation, Timeframe and Case Selection 8
Book
The Structure andArguments of the 11
The Communist Dilemma 15
Introduction 15
The Communist Dilemma as a Conceptual Lens 15
The Communist Dilemma in History 2t
Conclusion 30
Political Parties and European Integration 33
Introduction 33
The European Radical Left and European Integration: What We
Know So Far and Why Study Further 33
The Study of Political Parties and European Integration 39
Explaining the'How' Question 45
Explaining the'Why' Question 51
Conclusion 57
The Greek Case: The KKE and European Integration 59
Introduction 59
The ParU and its Context 60
Patterns of Party Competition 65
Programmatic Positions 75
Relations and Activity beyond the National Party System 82
Conclusion 89
vl European Integration and the Communist Dilemma
The Cypriot Case: AKEL and European Integration 95
Introduction 95
The Party and its Context 96
Patterns of Party Competition 100
Programmatic Positions 110
Relations and Activity beyond the National Party System t19
Conclusion t23
6 The Italian Case: Rifondazione Comunista and European
Integration r29
Introduction r29
The Party and its Context 130
Pafferns of ParU Competition r37
Programmatic Positions 148
Relations and Activity beyond the National Party System 155
Conclusion 159
7 Comparative Findings t63
Returning to the Research Questions t64
Implications for Parties' Relations to European Integration t74
8 Epilogue: On the Present and Future of European Communism t79
Appendix: Schedule of Interviews and Email Correspondence 183
Bibliography 187
Index 219
List of Figures and Tables
Figure
3.1
European integration and the communist dilemma 58
Tables
4.1 (1974-2009)
KKE election results 65
4.2
Average number of interventions per KKE MEP in EP debates
questions)
(including 89
5.1 (1960-2011)
AKEL election results 98
6.1 (1991-2009)
Rifondazione election results 136
7.1
Conditioning factors of communist party responses to European
integration
167
Acknowledgements
This book has its origins in discussions with my family at our home dinner table
when I was an undergraduate student. Approximately eight years later, and after
taking a challenging but unintemrptedly interesting road in academia, this book
was completed. Luckily, a number of people supplied me with support, counsel
and stimuli along the way. The most important of these have been Dimitris
Papadimitiou and Peter Humphreys. Their patience with me has been unending;
their intellectual guidance invaluable.
Each chapter has benefited from suggestions and advice by colleagues. In
particular, I would like to thank the following for commenting on parts of the
book, as these were still evolving: DimitriAlmeida, Christophoros Christophorou,
Richard Dunphy, Gregoris Ioannou, Luke March, Fabizio di Mascio,
Kevin Morgan, Andreas Panayiotou, Adonis Pegasiou, Myrto Tsakatika and the
initial anonymous reviewer of the book proposal. Fabrizio di Mascio deserves
special thanks for making my fieldwork in Italy both possible and effective.
Philippe Schmitter was very helpful during a short discussion which I had the luck
to have with him during the later stages of the project. To all of these penetrating
minds I hope one day to prove of equal assistance, although I must say that their
comments were so helpful that reciprocating in equal worth will be, at best,
extremely difficult.
As an academic project, this book could not have been completed without
institutional support, the first being that provided by the University of Manchester
where I made the transition from student to professional student. Particularly
helpful in financial terms were the two fieldwork grants I was awarded to
undertake research in Italy and Greece. Second, I acknowledge with appreciation
the financial and institutional support ofthe Hellenic Observatory at the European
Institute, London School of Economics, where, as a Visiting Fellow, I completed
and updated parts of the book between May and July 2011.
Ashgate and its editorial staffwere very helpful and accommodating towards
my various requests. I would particularly like to extend my thanks to Rob Sorsby
for his time, interest and effort in helping me see the book come to fruition.
Finally, I must thank the non-academics with an academic patience. My
grandfather, Michalis has not only been a constant source of inspiration and
wisdom, from which I have drawn, but also the person whose very life made the
studyofpolitics meaningful forme. Mywife, Lucia, was exceptionallyhelpfulwith
proofreading but most importantly provided the companionship, understanding
and emotional support that I needed in order to complete this project. Her own
sacrifices for my academic endeavours are comparable to, if not bigger than, mine.
European Integration and the Communist Dilemmo
Above all, I thank my parents, Charis andAngela - for everything. The humble
dedication to them in this book expresses only part of my immense gratitude.