This book investigates the historical origins and evolving motivations behind European integration, questioning why member states have consistently pursued cooperation despite contemporary challenges like Brexit and populism. Mark Hewitson, a scholar of European history, utilizes a thematic framework to connect modern political developments to long-term structural conditions established in the 1920s. He argues that the European Union is not merely a recent construct but the result of decades of diplomatic efforts to resolve security concerns and economic instability through institutionalized cooperation.

Experts recognize this work as a significant contribution to understanding the historical continuity of European institutional development. Readers frequently note the academic rigor of the text, which provides a necessary long-term context for current debates surrounding European disintegration.