试论欧洲认同及其与民族意识的张力

An Analysis of the Tensions between European Identity and National Consciousness in the Course of European Integration

民族意识和欧洲观念是近代欧洲社会发展过程中产生的两大政治文化。作为文化认同 ,二者都是一体化进程中的关键性的基本元素。民族国家的社会一体化倚赖于民族意识 ,欧洲一体化则更多地需要欧洲认同。由此 ,欧洲观念是对民族意识的升华 ,民族意识是欧洲观念的基础 ,它们就像一对孪生物 ,相互包含、不可分割。但由于分属于文化认同的不同层次 ,相互之间存在着张力 :静态地看 ,民族意识的内敛性与欧洲观念的扩张性构成一对矛盾 ;动态地看 ,目前民族意识在发达程度和势能上都强于欧洲观念。二者的矛盾运动将长久存在 ,并制约着一体化的进程。就这一意义而言 ,欧洲一体化只是一种可以无限接近的可能图景。

National consciousness and the concept of Europe emerged as two principal factors in European political culture in the evolving process of modem European society. National consciousness and the concept of Europe are the two key decisive factors shaping European integration. Social integration within a nation-state relies on national consciousness while European integration is dependent on European self-identity. The concept of Europe, though in opposition to the national consciousness of separate European countries, is the sublimation of the latter. Like a pair of twins, the concept of Europe and national consciousness accommodate each other in an inseparable manner. However, due to the fact that they belong to different levels of cultural identification, there exist some tensions between the inward orientation of national consciousness and the expansive nature of the concept of Europe. From a long-term point of view, national consciousness should be gaining an upper hand over the concept of Europe. The tensions between the two factors will continue for a fairly long period of time, which will inevitably restrain the further development of European integration. In light of this, complete European integration is an ideal that can only be approached indefinitely.