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European social democracy and the Kossovo War

• Alemann, Ulrich von
• Σωτηρόπουλος, Δημήτρης Α.

The war in Kosovo consisted of nineteen nato states trying to bomb some sense into the divided remnant of what was Yugoslavia. Social Democrats participated in the government of almost all states of Europe who took part in the air warfare against Serbia. These governments differ according to their political traditions, national customs and party coalitions; they also differed on the question of war. Only two extreme positions can be clearly defined: At the one end, there was the British Labour Party and at the other, PASOK. According to Blair, Milosevic's politics had to be completely defeated; peace would only come as a result of victory in war; therefore NATO should not refrain from sending in ground troops. In contrast, other voices demanded an immediate end to the bombings and the start of negotiations. In all of Europe the NATO intervention was most unpopular in Greece. German Social Democracy is representative of what might be called the middle-of-the-road position. On the whole, Social Democracy in Europe presents a contradictory picture. It wants peace and participates in air warfare. However, European Social Democrats seemed at least to be unanimous in demanding the inclusion of the UN Security Council and Russia and thus of China and the community of nations in general. Unanimity should also rule in the aftermath of the Kosovo conflict; Social Democratic ideas should find their way into plans for reconstruction.

• Political Science

• Πολιτική επιστήμη
• Political parties
• Ideology

Ο Ulrich von Alemann είναι Καθηγητής Πολιτικής Επιστήμης στο Πανεπιστήμιο Heinrich Heine του Ντύσσελντορφ και αντιπρόεδρος της Γερμανικής Εταιρείας Πολιτικής Επιστήμης, Αποτελεί διάλεξη που διοργανώθηκε από την Ελληνική Εταιρεία Πολιτικής Επιστήμης και το Ίδρυμα Friedrich Ebert στο Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών στις 28 Μαΐου 1999. Διατηρείται η προφορική μορφή του κειμένου, Περιέχει βιβλιογραφία