Swiss American Historical Society Review
Keywords
aftermath of World War II, The Treaty of Maastricht, Holy Roman Empire, Swiss politics, Switzerland
Abstract
During the fifty years since the conclusion of World War II in 1945, Europe has undergone more radical changes than during the three preceding millennia. The Treaty of Maastricht, prepared by the twelve members of the European Community in December, 1991, legalizes a process of European social, economic and political unification and homogenization contradicting the evolution of European politics and societies since the fall of the Roman Empire. The majority of the nation states of Western Europe have been generated by a concerted struggle against amalgamation into large transnational empires. Notable examples are France, formed by the dissolution of its bonds with the Anglo-Angevin Empire in 1453; Germany and Austria, growing out of the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806; and Switzerland, generated by the revolt of the original Swiss cantons against the Hapsburg Holy Roman Empire in 1291.
Recommended Citation
Page, H. Dwight
(1995)
"The Crisis of Switzerland On the Threshold of the European Union,"
Swiss American Historical Society Review: Vol. 31:
No.
3, Article 3.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/sahs_review/vol31/iss3/3