European Century

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The European Century is a term, which was first used by Mark Leonard in his book Why Europe Will Run the 21st Century (published in the United States under the title Perpetual Power: Why Europe Will Run the 21st Century) and is used to describe the belief that the 21st century will become a century in which the current European way of doing things will become dominant in the world. The European integration process which culminated in the European Union is highlighted.

The next century is depicted by Leonard as a century in which most of the world copies the current European way of functioning, such as obeying international law, promoting democratic values, multilateralism and humanitarian interventions. This new world order could usher in a time of global peace, wealth and democracy. To a large extent this view resembles Idealism in international relations theory.

The term is used in contrast to the 20th century, which is sometimes called the "American Century", and which is often assumed to have been dominated by power politics (which resembles Realism in international relations).

References

Leonard, M., The Project for a New European Century.

v • d • e International reach and expansion of the European Union

Theory	European Century · Eurosphere · Pax Europaea · Superpower status · Federal Europe

Reach	Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) · European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) (missions) · European Economic Area · High Representative (Bosnia) · International Civilian Representative (Kosovo)

Expansion	Enlargement (Stabilisation and Association Process) · European Neighbourhood (Northern Dimension · Union for the Mediterranean · Eastern Partnership) · Europeanisation

Representation	High Representative · External Relations Commissioner · President of the European Council · President of the European Commission

Assets	Economy · Euro · ECHO · Galileo · Military

v • d • e Power in international relations

Types of power	Philosophical power · Soft power · Hard power · Political power (Machtpolitik • Realpolitik)

Types of power status	Middle power · Regional power · Great power · Superpower (Potential superpowers · Energy superpower) · Hyperpower

Geopolitics	African Century · American Century · Asian Century · British Century · Chinese Century · European Century · Indian Century · Pacific Century

Theory and history	Historical powers · Polarity in international relations · Military power projection · Power transition theory · Second Superpower · Superpower collapse · Superpower disengagement

Organizations and groups	G8 · G8+5 · G77 · BRI(M)C · Next Eleven · SCO · NATO · CSTO · ANZUS