Abstract
"Building Union among people not cooperation between states". This quote of Jean Monnet underlines a specific side of the European integration history. Europe is not merely cooperation between states around an economical project, or motivated by the self-interest of states. Europe is, also, an idea, an ideological project. But, it is not the same groups who shared the same projects. For that we can distinguish in European integration history different big groups such as: politicians, intellectual elite, citizens, economic lobbies etc. The 'intellectual elite' is a group heterogeneous people, who lead a major role in this history. Firstly, it is important to define the 'intellectual elite'. The Elite are "A group or class of persons or a member of such a group or class, enjoying superior intellectual, social, or economic status: "In addition to notions of social equality there was much emphasis on the role of elites and of heroes within them" (Times Literary Supplement)." In the case of 'European intellectual elites', it is a group of persons who enjoy superior intellectual status due to the fact of having a high-level of education, or cultivation. The example of the European founding fathers is more complicated. They evolved between the political and intellectual elite. So, we will speak more precisely about a strict intellectual elite and their contribution in the European integration process. But, if intellectual elite takes part in European construction, we can tackle the question of the importance of this contribution."Does the European construction and integration process belong to intellectual elite?" We can try to understand more clearly the role of intellectual elite in European integration. Does it have a significant role, and whether it stays constant and united, or divided?
