Our Story
History of the Council
From Clarence Streit's groundbreaking vision in 1939 to today, trace the evolution of the movement for democratic world federation.
Union Now
In 1939, New York Times journalist Clarence Streit published Union Now, proposing a federal union of the world's leading democracies. The book became a bestseller, sparking a transatlantic movement.
Streit argued that a democratic federation — modeled on the U.S. Constitution — could prevent war, protect individual liberty, and create a framework for global cooperation that the League of Nations had failed to provide.
Atlantic Union Movement
After World War II, the movement gained political momentum. The Atlantic Union Committee lobbied for a resolution in Congress calling for a convention of NATO democracies to explore federal union.
In 1949, Senator Estes Kefauver introduced the first Atlantic Union Resolution. The idea attracted support from figures including former Secretary of War Robert Patterson, Supreme Court Justice Owen Roberts, and Will Clayton.
Institutional Growth
The movement institutionalized through organizations like Federal Union, Inc. and the Association to Unite the Democracies (AUD). Streit continued publishing and advocating.
During this period, the Council's work influenced early European integration debates and helped shape thinking about supranational democratic governance.
Cold War Advocacy
Through the Cold War, the Council maintained that democratic federation offered a more durable foundation for Western security than military alliances alone.
The Frank Educational Trust was established during this period, creating a lasting endowment for scholarship and education on federal principles.
Post–Cold War Renewal
The end of the Cold War created new possibilities for democratic cooperation. The Council adapted its mission to address the challenges of globalization and the expansion of democratic governance.
The Frank Fund scholarship program launched in 1991, supporting over 200 scholars to date in studying the federal principle and its applications.
21st Century Challenges
The Council expanded its focus to address 21st-century existential risks including climate change, nuclear proliferation, and the erosion of democratic norms.
New research programs were established in democracy and world organization, the federal paradigm, existential risks and planetary policy, and the extended transatlantic system.
Continuing the Vision
Today the Streit Council continues Clarence Streit's vision through research, publications, fellowships, and advocacy. A new generation of scholars and practitioners carries forward the work of building democratic world federation.
The Council's blog and publication program produces regular commentary on transatlantic affairs, democratic governance, and the ongoing relevance of federal principles to contemporary challenges.