ABSTRACT
The years since 1945 have witnessed the rapid evolution of regional government in Western Europe. There is no one reason why such a revolution occurred, but it is clear that the development of regional structures reflected a crisis faced by the traditional unitary nation-state in the post-war world. Nation-states appeared unable to deliver effective government or to satisfy the interests of their populations. These issues cannot be addressed purely on a national basis and, for the reasons explored in Chapter 2, a democratic regional tier offered an alternative. The challenges to the sovereign nation-state therefore led to the growth of the non-sovereign region. The use of this level in resolving some of the problems that have faced the nation-states is the theme of this chapter. An appreciation of these drivers of the regional revolution is vital for an understanding of the various regional systems that exist in the EU today.
