Friedensnobelpreis für EU 2012 – soll das ein Irrtum gewesen sein?

3 Jahre ist es her, als die EU den Friedensnobelpreis erhielt. Als wir den Friedensnobelpreis erhielten. Für ihren, für unseren Beitrag zu Frieden, Demokratie und Menschenrechten in Europa. Zum ungefähren Jahrestag – die Begründung ist mit 12. Oktober 2012 datiert – und zur Erinnerung, was die EU ausmacht, kommt hier das Nobelpreiskomitee im O-Ton zu Wort:

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2012 is to be awarded to the European Union (EU). The union and its forerunners have for over six decades contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe.

In the inter-war years, the Norwegian Nobel Committee made several awards to persons who were seeking reconciliation between Germany and France. Since 1945, that reconciliation has become a reality. The dreadful suffering in World War II demonstrated the need for a new Europe. Over a seventy-year period, Germany and France had fought three wars. Today war between Germany and France is unthinkable. This shows how, through well-aimed efforts and by building up mutual confidence, historical enemies can become close partners.

In the 1980s, Greece, Spain and Portugal joined the EU. The introduction of democracy was a condition for their membership. The fall of the Berlin Wall made EU membership possible for several Central and Eastern European countries, thereby opening a new era in European history. The division between East and West has to a large extent been brought to an end; democracy has been strengthened; many ethnically-based national conflicts have been settled.

The admission of Croatia as a member next year, the opening of membership negotiations with Montenegro, and the granting of candidate status to Serbia all strengthen the process of reconciliation in the Balkans. In the past decade, the possibility of EU membership for Turkey has also advanced democracy and human rights in that country.

The EU is currently undergoing grave economic difficulties and considerable social unrest. The Norwegian Nobel Committee wishes to focus on what it sees as the EU’s most important result: the successful struggle for peace and reconciliation and for democracy and human rights. The stabilizing part played by the EU has helped to transform most of Europe from a continent of war to a continent of peace.

The work of the EU represents „fraternity between nations“, and amounts to a form of the „peace congresses“ to which Alfred Nobel refers as criteria for the Peace Prize in his 1895 will.

Oslo, 12 October 2012

Announcement nobelpeaceprize

Erste 1-sicht: Der Hausverstand reicht nicht.

Die politische Kultur ist eine Unkultur geworden, wird vielfach moniert. Der Hausverstand wird in die Politik gerufen – von politisch Tätigen ebenso wie von unzufriedenen Bürger/innen. Wollen wir ihn wirklich in der Politik? Den Hausverstand. Den sogenannten gesunden Menschenverstand? Braucht es nicht mehr Verstand, um Staaten, Volkswirtschaften in die Zukunft zu führen? Ich denke ja. Platon hielt die Philosophen für die geeignetsten Staatenlenker, da sie der Wahrheit verpflichtet seien und nicht der Macht.

Mehr als Hausverstand

Im Blog 1-sicht sollen Philosoph/innen ebenso zu Wort kommen, wie andere Menschen, die daran arbeiten, den Zusammenhängen auf den Grund zu kommen. Mit diesem Blog biete ich eine lose Zusammenstellung von Texten, Analysen und Ausführungen, die ich persönlich für relevant und interessant halte.

1-sicht findet: Lesen bildet.
1-sicht meint: Lesen nährt den Verstand