The primary reason is to create a space for the individual, a zone for oneself within society.

ECONOMIST: Museum architecture

Instead, Germany insisted any aid must come via loans by the individual euro-zone members to a stricken country.

WSJ: EU Set a Secret Group to Save the Euro

Europe can create an effective monetary amalgamation and a massive free-trade zone, while allowing the individual nations to retain their political sovereignty.

FORBES: Fact and Comment

Its already large (though circumscribed) liability in the euro zone, through bail-outs to individual countries, could become something like an unlimited liability for the public and private debts of others.

ECONOMIST: Charlemagne

The amount of space required to feel comfortable is heavily influenced by cultural norms. (In the U.S. most business relationships begin in the social zone.) It also varies from individual to individual.

FORBES: Knowing When to Back Off

In its legal submissions, the US justice department argues that because Afghanistan is an active combat zone it is not possible to conduct rigorous inquiries into individual cases and that it would divert precious military resources at a crucial time.

BBC: Ex-detainees allege Bagram abuse

The zone as a whole depends on exports much less than its individual countries do: the 43% of Germany's exports going to other members of the club count as domestic demand at the level of the euro area.

ECONOMIST: Don't get your hopes up too high about growth in the euro area

Since the no-fly zone began to be enforced both the group's secretary-general, Amr Moussa, and individual members such as Algeria have voiced concern that the operation may be exceeding its mandate to protect Libyan civilians.

ECONOMIST: The Arab world's reaction