Weber, Habermas and Transformations of the European State

Engaging deeply with Jürgen Habermas's vision of constitutional democracy in the EU, John P. McCormick critiques the challenges of theorizing progressive politics amid significant state transformations. He contrasts Habermas's reliance on outdated paradigms with Max Weber's analysis of the Sozialstaat, revealing limitations in Habermas's conceptualization of the EU as an expanded nation-state. McCormick proposes a new model, the supranational Sektoralstaat, to better assess the potential for constitutional and social democracy within the evolving European landscape.