Subsidiarity and Soverignty in the European Union

The institutional quick fix may support the nation-state in the short run, but the underlying logic of subsidiarty reduces the claim of rightful governance to a technocratic question of functional efficiency that will eventually undercut the nation-state’s claims to loyalty. In reaching this conclusion, this Article first explores the origins and underpinnings of the doctrine of subsidiarity. Second, it examines the application of subsidiarity to the European Community. Finally, it examines the compatibility of the principles developed with today’s understanding of sovereignty