Abstract

In the moment when the process of globalization confronts Europe with the necessity of accomplishing its institutionalization, the urgent problem of its identity comes again high on the political agenda as the increasing quantity of philosophical works concerning this subject has clearly shown. The author has taken into account many recent contributions to the debate and on the basis of them proposes a perspective on the European Union considered as a political institution that we should try to achieve with political means. In other words Europe should not represent just a theoretical concept to coexist with and to tolerate, choosing the lesser evil, since just if Europe succeeds in overwhelming the common idea of the traditional State it will be able to exert a powerful influence on the total balance of nations.