The Dynamics of European Union (1987) assesses the attempts by the members of the European Community to achieve European Union, culminating in the Single European Act of December 1985, in the context of the overall dynamics of the process of integration in western Europe since the 1950s. The opening chapter sets out an analytical framework focused on the propulsive elites seeking ‘an ever closer union’; the obstacles in their way; and the strategies they have used to overcome them. Successive phases of the search are examined in detail to illustrate the factors which have proved critical for success or failure.
