The foundation of the Council of Europe as an advocate of democratisation in the aftermath of World War Two

Abstract

This work investigates the role and contribution of the Council of Europe for stimulating a renaissance of democracy in the first two decades following WW2. It investigates the role and contribution of the Council of Europe in the political reality of the Cold War. In conclusion it gives a brief description of the role and stature of the Council of Europe in the Post Cold War Era and present day. In Chapter I; titled" World War Two was Too much", an introduction for this work is laid out by having a look at the WW2 phenomenon and the mark it left on mankind This work begins by tackling the question of why did WW2 begin in the heart of Europe? Whether it was a product of dictatorship or a failed democracy? How far could a democracy be dangerous if it is fallacious? Chapter 1 then goes into a brief look at the Nazi concentration camps which were probably the birth place for the later, post war, occurrence of human rights discourse and law. Chapter 1 moves from its introductory character into the main focus of this long essay; the aftermath of WW2 and the Council of Europe. The last part of chapter one deals with Western Europe in the five years that followed WW2 (1945-1950) with Churchill's speech on the United States of Europe (1946), the beginning of the Cold War and the foundation of the Council of Europe (1949). In Chapter 2; titled" From Hot War to Cold War", focus turns on the reason why the Council of Europe was founded in 1949 and which countries were the founder members. The chapter then investigates the immediate reality which the Council had to face from the moment it was conceived; the Cold War. How did the Cold War result from WW2 and what was the role of the Council of Europe as a Western European entity? The last part of the chapter examines the expansion of the Council in the 1950s and 1960s with the annexation of more Western European states and looks at the expulsion I abdication of Greece from the Council for five years. Chapter 3; titled " Democratisation and Confrontation " , can be regarded as the Core Chapter of this work. The first part studies the relation of the Council of Europe with the other side of Europe; the Eastern bloc and its role as a builder of democracy within, and a promoter of democracy without . The second part of this chapter looks at main legal bodies of the Council of Europe enlisting and examining the Statute of the Council, the ECHR and the ESC. This chapter then moves to looking at different types of democracies in member countries of the Council of Europe. Three member countries were taken as samples; West Germany (and its very particular circumstances ... Berlin Wall etc), Cyprus ( which became partially occupied by Turkey, another member of Council of Europe) and Malta ( a newly independent colony). Chapter 4, titled " An Ocean apart'', looks at the Council of Europe's relation to the reality of American power. The first part gives a brief history of democracy in the USA from the gaining of its independence. The second part tackles a comparative study of political realities in Post War USA and Europe with a special focus on the role of the Council of Europe. In Chapter 5, titled" From Expansion to ultimate Extension", the conclusion of this essay is laid out. This chapter actually extends from the title of this long essay and examines the period of the Council of Europe after the aftermath of WW2 into the present era. This chapter deals with the expansion of the Council of Europe in the 1970s and 1980s; the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Eastern bloc with the new political reality allowing new members and an extension of the Council of Europe to the limits of the European continent. The last part looks at the Council of Europe and the EU in the present perspective with the parallelisms and differences in their common challenge of broadening and promoting democracy on the continent of Europe.