MEĐUNARODNI PROBLEMI

Reconciliation and Cooperation in Europe in the Political Concepts of Giulio Alberoni and Robert Schuman

Gavrilović Darko (Center for History, Democracy and Reconciliation, Novi Sad, Serbia), chdr.novisad@gmail.com

This paper offers a comparative analysis of the ideational pursuits of two thinkers—Giulio Alberoni and Robert Schuman—regarding pan-European political cooperation and reconciliation. The central research question is whether their ideas, despite differing approaches, were directed toward achieving the same goal — lasting peace in Europe. Using content analysis of Alberoni’s “Scheme“ as well as two speeches Schuman gave at the United Nations and his 1950 Declaration, the paper explores Alberoni’s concept of European unification through military alliances and territorial redistribution, contrasted with Schuman’s economic integration model based on shared interests. Despite the considerable historical and contextual distance between the two political thinkers — which prevents drawing absolute parallels — this comparison is academically relevant in light of their views on overcoming conflict through European integration, political cooperation, and ideological ties such as the influence of religion on politics. The findings show that both models had a peacebuilding character, but that modern European integration was primarily achieved through economic mechanisms rather than military-political dominance. Furthermore, Christian influence is evident in both visions, though more explicit and dominant in Alberoni’s ideas — shaped by his era and framed within the notion of Europe as a Christian continent. The paper concludes that Schuman’s vision represents a realized model of European unity through institutionalized cooperation, while Alberoni’s academically underexplored plan remains a historical example of early geopolitical thought about a united Europe.

Keywords: European integration, reconciliation, Christianity, international relations, military alliances, international organization-building