ΑΛΛΗΛΕΓΓΥΗ ΣΤΗΝ ΕΕ: ΕΞΕΛΙΞΕΙΣ ΣΤΟ ΠΕΔΙΟ ΤΗΣ ΠΡΟΣΦΥΓΙΚΗΣ ΠΡΟΣΤΑΣΙΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΠΡΟΚΛΗΣΕΙΣ ΣΤΗΝ ΕΕ ΚΑΙ ΣΤΗΝ ΕΛΛΑΔΑ

26 The concept and dimensions of solidarity As noted above, the Polish Solidarity movement allowed for the accommodation of the concept of solidarity within the accepted English jargon, devoid of any Soviet or communist association. A new type of socialist solidarity emerged that could well fit within the conservative Christian milieus of the West and call for a new form of emancipation, this time, against Soviet rule. 29 The second meaning ascribed to solidarity by the OED is that of the “community or perfect coincidence of (or between) interests.” This second meaning does not only further disassociate the concept from its revolutionary aura, by conceptually relating it even to the allegiance between ‘conservative interests’. 30 It reveals a non-agonistic conceptual horizon, by returning the concept to its original com- mercial and fraternal underpinnings. In a nutshell, by the end of the 19 th century the English were well using the concept to address the solidarity of commercial interests or the ‘fraternal’ solidarity of interests, typical of merchant guilds. 31 The third and final meaning of solidarity discussed by the OED is no other than that of Civil Law: “A form of obligation involving joint and several responsibilities or rights.” As Edward Poste commented in his 1875 Gai Institutiones or Institutes of Roman Law by Gaius , “Correality and Solidarity agree in this, that in both of them every creditor is severally entitled to receive the whole object of the active obligation, and every debtor is bound to discharge the whole object of the passive obligation.” 32 Is it that by the end of the 19 th century the English language had already misappropriated the concept to serve those ends that could be accommo- dated in the dominant (monarchical, conservative, capitalist, etc.) schema of the times? Lexicographical evidence seems to support this assertion, at least if we ac- cept that the aforementioned ‘French connection’ is the concept’s own etymon , as widely accepted. Yet this could hardly be the case. After all, besides solidarité (and solidaire ), the OED adds at the etymological roots of solidarity the English word solid and the Latin solidus . 29. “1980 Times 26 Sept. 6/4 The Warsaw daily Zycie Warszawy quoted members of the Solidarity free trade union movement as rejecting reforms of the old unions as mere name-changing. 1980 Economist 18 Oct. 46/1 Over 20 unions, including Mr Lech Wale- sa’s Gdansk-based Solidarity (an umbrella organisation representing 50 small unions, and claiming a total membership of over 4m), have applied to register with the courts in Warsaw. 1982 Times 9 Oct. 1/5 The Polish Parliament yesterday voted for a new trade union law that sounds the death knell of Solidarity. Ibid ., In broad outline, the bill dis- solves all registered trade unions including Solidarity.” Quoted in ibid . 30. “1876 Contemp. Rev. June 138 The cr, y was raised as to the solidarity of the Conserva- tive interests.” Quoted from OED, under ‘solidarity’, 2. 31. “1874 M. E. HERBERT tr. Hübner’s Ramble ii. ii. (1878) 518 To establish a solidarity between their commercial interests. 1890 Gross Gild Merch . I. 97 A compact body em- phatically characterized by fraternal solidarity of interests.” Quoted in ibid . 32. “1875 POSTE Gaius iii. 396.” Quoted from OED, under ‘solidarity’, 3.