Capitalism, imperialism and European Union Law: towards a Marxist approach
This article establishes a foundation for the development of Marxist approaches to European Union (EU) law. While Marxist scholarship has engaged with European integration throughout its history, it has largely overlooked the legal architecture of the EU. Conversely, EU legal studies have remained l...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2025-06-01
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| Series: | European Law Open |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2752613525100180/type/journal_article |
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| author | Robert Knox Eva Nanopoulos Andrew Woodhouse |
| author_facet | Robert Knox Eva Nanopoulos Andrew Woodhouse |
| author_sort | Robert Knox |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article establishes a foundation for the development of Marxist approaches to European Union (EU) law. While Marxist scholarship has engaged with European integration throughout its history, it has largely overlooked the legal architecture of the EU. Conversely, EU legal studies have remained largely insulated from Marxist thought, even as critical approaches have begun to gain traction. Bridging this mutual neglect, the article argues that EU law must be understood not as a neutral or technocratic system, but as a central element of capitalist social relations both in Europe, and in terms of Europe’s wider integration in the global market. In this way, EU law is bound up with processes of accumulation, imperialism, and racialised social reproduction. Drawing on key currents within Marxist theory, the article situates EU law within the historical dynamics of capitalist development, demonstrating how a materialist legal analysis can deepen and enrich existing critiques of European integration. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-fdec68dc38fb4b39a4bdcefc8f35b329 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2752-6135 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Law Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-fdec68dc38fb4b39a4bdcefc8f35b3292025-08-20T09:23:28ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Law Open2752-61352025-06-01429032710.1017/elo.2025.10018Capitalism, imperialism and European Union Law: towards a Marxist approachRobert Knox0Eva Nanopoulos1Andrew Woodhouse2Law, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UKQueen Mary University of London, London, UKLaw, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UKThis article establishes a foundation for the development of Marxist approaches to European Union (EU) law. While Marxist scholarship has engaged with European integration throughout its history, it has largely overlooked the legal architecture of the EU. Conversely, EU legal studies have remained largely insulated from Marxist thought, even as critical approaches have begun to gain traction. Bridging this mutual neglect, the article argues that EU law must be understood not as a neutral or technocratic system, but as a central element of capitalist social relations both in Europe, and in terms of Europe’s wider integration in the global market. In this way, EU law is bound up with processes of accumulation, imperialism, and racialised social reproduction. Drawing on key currents within Marxist theory, the article situates EU law within the historical dynamics of capitalist development, demonstrating how a materialist legal analysis can deepen and enrich existing critiques of European integration.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2752613525100180/type/journal_articleMarxismImperialismCapitalismEU Lawlaw and political economy |
| spellingShingle | Robert Knox Eva Nanopoulos Andrew Woodhouse Capitalism, imperialism and European Union Law: towards a Marxist approach European Law Open Marxism Imperialism Capitalism EU Law law and political economy |
| title | Capitalism, imperialism and European Union Law: towards a Marxist approach |
| title_full | Capitalism, imperialism and European Union Law: towards a Marxist approach |
| title_fullStr | Capitalism, imperialism and European Union Law: towards a Marxist approach |
| title_full_unstemmed | Capitalism, imperialism and European Union Law: towards a Marxist approach |
| title_short | Capitalism, imperialism and European Union Law: towards a Marxist approach |
| title_sort | capitalism imperialism and european union law towards a marxist approach |
| topic | Marxism Imperialism Capitalism EU Law law and political economy |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2752613525100180/type/journal_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT robertknox capitalismimperialismandeuropeanunionlawtowardsamarxistapproach AT evananopoulos capitalismimperialismandeuropeanunionlawtowardsamarxistapproach AT andrewwoodhouse capitalismimperialismandeuropeanunionlawtowardsamarxistapproach |