Inducements, which led to the “Brexit”. The United Kingdom’s ambivalent relationship with the European Union

Bachelor Thesis , 2020 , 63 Pages , Grade: 1,3

Politics - Region: Western Europe

This paper attempts to find an answer to the following research question: To what extent can the theoretical implications of Kenneth Waltz’s "neorealism" and Andrew Moravcsik’s "liberal theory" explain the United Kingdom’s decision to hold a referendum on its membership in the European Union?

To answer this question, I begin by defining the essential key terms used in this paper and laying down the theoretical assumptions and implications of both theories. From these theoretical foundations I will derive my hypotheses, providing the main thread for the analysis, at the end of each chapter. The subsequent chapter discusses the research design of this paper. In the analytical portion of this dissertation, I will first focus on applying the relevant theoretical implications of neorealism to examine the referendum decision. Subsequently, I will similarly apply the compatible elements of Andrew Moravcsik’s liberal theory to conduct an analysis into the reasons behind the referendum decision from a liberal perspective. Finally, I will discuss the conclusions drawn from the analysis.

On the 23rd June 2016, the United Kingdom held a referendum regarding its future within the European Union. The result of this referendum was a very important political event, shaking the foundations of the "European idea" to its core, and leaving many experts baffled. However, while the results of this "Brexit" were largely astounding and unexpected, why did the UK opt for a referendum on its membership in the EU in the first place? While the potential reasons behind the outcome of the referendum have been subject to substantial academic analysis, research regarding the reasons for the referendum is somewhat scarce.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• I. Introduction
• II. Definition and Clarification of Key Terms.
• III. Theoretical Foundations
  • 1. The Theory of Kenneth Waltz's Neorealism in International Relations
    • 1.1. The Implications and Assumptions of Waltz's Theory
    • 1.2. The 'Balance of Power' Theory within Waltz' Neorealism
    • 1.3. The Hypotheses Derived from Kenneth Waltz's Neorealism
  • 2. Andrew Moravcsik's Liberal Theory of International Relations
    • 2.1. Implications and Assumptions of Moravcsik's Liberal Theory.
      • 2.1.1. The Role of Societal Actors
      • 2.1.2. The Role of Institutions
    • 2.2. The Hypotheses Derived from Andrew Moravcsik's Liberal Theory
• IV. Research Design
• V. Empirical Analysis.
  • 1. How can the United Kingdom's Referendum Decision be Explained?
    • 1.1. Analysis from a Neorealist Perspective
      • 1.1.1. The Anarchic International System as a Relevant Factor
      • 1.1.2. The 'Desire' to Survive in the International System through Security Maximisation
    • 1.2. Analysis from a Liberal Perspective
      • 1.2.1. The Role of Societal Actors in the Referendum Decision.
      • 1.2.2. The Role of Institutions in the Referendum Decision
• 1VI. Conclusions and Outlook.

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This dissertation aims to explore the reasons behind the United Kingdom's decision to hold a referendum on its membership in the European Union. By utilizing the theoretical frameworks of Kenneth Waltz's neorealism and Andrew Moravcsik's liberal theory, the paper seeks to provide a comprehensive analysis of the factors that influenced this significant political event.

• The impact of the international system's structure on the UK's decision-making process.
• The role of national security concerns in shaping the UK's perspective on EU membership.
• The influence of domestic societal actors on the UK's referendum decision.
• The significance of institutional factors in the UK's decision to hold a referendum.
• The application of neorealist and liberal theoretical frameworks in understanding the UK's relationship with the EU.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• I. Introduction: The introduction establishes the context for the dissertation, highlighting the significance of the UK's referendum decision and the lack of research on the underlying reasons behind this move. It introduces the two primary areas of focus: the international system's structure and domestic societal- and institutional factors. It also outlines the research question and the theoretical frameworks employed in the analysis: Kenneth Waltz's neorealism and Andrew Moravcsik's liberal theory.
• II. Definition and Clarification of Key Terms: This chapter defines the essential terms used throughout the dissertation, including ‘Brexit’, ‘referendum’, and ‘referendum decision’, clarifying their meaning and application within the context of the UK's relationship with the EU.
• III. Theoretical Foundations: This chapter delves into the theoretical foundations of the dissertation, examining the key assumptions and implications of Kenneth Waltz's neorealism and Andrew Moravcsik's liberal theory of international relations. It analyzes the 'Balance of Power' theory within neorealism and explores the role of societal actors and institutions in the liberal framework. The chapter concludes by deriving hypotheses from each theoretical framework, providing the guiding principles for the subsequent analysis.
• IV. Research Design: This chapter outlines the research design employed in the dissertation, providing insights into the methods and approaches used to collect and analyze data relevant to the research question. It explains the specific research methods and techniques employed in the empirical analysis.
• V. Empirical Analysis: This chapter presents the empirical analysis of the UK's referendum decision, focusing on two primary perspectives: the neorealist perspective and the liberal perspective. The neorealist analysis examines the influence of the anarchic international system and the UK's security concerns. The liberal analysis explores the role of societal actors, such as public opinion and interest groups, and institutional factors, such as government policies and parliamentary procedures, in shaping the referendum decision.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The key concepts and themes explored in this dissertation include the United Kingdom's relationship with the European Union, the ‘Brexit’ referendum, neorealism, liberal theory of international relations, national security, societal actors, institutional factors, the international system's structure, and the decision-making processes of states.

• College: University of Bamberg
• Grade: 1,3
• Author: Lawrence Wighton (Author)
• Publication Year: 2020
• Pages: 63
• Catalog Number: V1316751
• ISBN (PDF): 9783346797919
• ISBN (Book): 9783346797926
• Language: English
• Tags: inducements, brexit”, united, kingdom’s, european, union, Brexit