European integration: a continent in revolution

In this historical essay on European integration, Gilles Grin reviews two centuries of the continent’s history (1815–2022). After describing the depths reached by Europe in 1945, he examines how the European Communities - the predecessors of today’s European Union - were created and developed, as well as the limits they encountered. Dr Grin demonstrates that the post-war European project was nothing less than a revolution, as the heart of the continent moved beyond the endless cycle of internal conflicts that had marked its past.