Britain has had the same foreign policy objective for at least five hundred years – to create a disunited Europe. ...It was necessary for us to break up the EEC,... . Now that we're in, we were able to make a pig's breakfast out of it. (The Complete Yes Minister, qtd. In Otte 1)
The essence that this sarcastic quotation transports, brushing away all party politics, great leaders and platform commitments, suggests that Euro-scepticism has always been in Great Britain's political culture and it is here to stay. Intrinsic motifs and reasons for the British Euroscepticism will be dealt with in part I of this paper and indeed, they constitute strong evidence that the rejection of Europe – not only of the EU as a political instrument – is firmly entrenched in major parts of the UK's society. To assume however that this sentiment has been equally present in all the political phases and parties in post WWII Great Britain is scientifically unsustainable. It becomes obvious especially if one considers the pro-European mood in the devolved Scottish Parliament and the parties represented in it, eg. The Scottish National Party and the Liberal Democrats (Watts/Pilkington 222, 243). Also on UK level the political approach towards the EU and its institutions has changed with the political personal in charge, intergovernmental relations and constellations; it is true especially in regard of the UK that the lines of approval and rejection of the EU are not congruent with party loyalities.
t is therefore the task of this paper to distil ideological determinants and mind-sets and the crucial phases in British policies towards the European Union after World War II. Focus in part one lies on Britishness and its surrounding ideological patterns; part two at its core examines the last three governments of the United Kingdom, that is the administrations of Margaret Thatcher, John Major and Tony Blair. It will be one of the statements of this work that both of the subsequent governments in many respects can be seen in the tradition of the first mentioned, although it was then indicated in another way and hoped by many pro-Europeans that this would not be the case. Furthermore one aim will be to isolate a tendency that enables the percipients of this academic work to venture an outlook on the future relations between Europe and the UK, which is especially vital in regard of the sustainability of the Union:
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- General Introduction
- Introduction and approach of this paper
- Britishness
- Cultural identity
- Britain and the EMU
- Special Relationship
- The Euro-sceptic Press in Great Britain
- The "Awkward Partner" enters the union
- Margaret Thatcher: Alone against the Superstate
- John Major: A phase of transition
- New Labour: Old Wine in New Bottles?
- Hopes for a pro-European approach
- New Labour and the Euro
- Evaluation and outlook
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper analyzes the ideological determinants and historical phases of British policies towards the European Union after World War II. It aims to understand the roots of British Euroscepticism and how it has manifested in the policies of different governments, particularly those of Margaret Thatcher, John Major, and Tony Blair. Additionally, the paper explores the role of cultural identity in shaping Britain's relationship with Europe.
- The historical development of British Euroscepticism
- The impact of cultural identity on British foreign policy
- The influence of political leaders on British-EU relations
- The relationship between British Euroscepticism and the EMU
- The future of British-EU relations
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- General Introduction: This chapter introduces the topic of British Euroscepticism and outlines the paper's approach. It presents the historical context and highlights the enduring nature of Euroscepticism in British political culture.
- Britishness: This chapter explores the concept of Britishness and its connection to Euroscepticism. It examines the role of cultural identity, shaped by Britain's imperial past and its perceived isolation from continental Europe, in shaping British attitudes towards the EU.
- The "Awkward Partner" enters the union: This section examines the policies of three British governments towards the EU, starting with Margaret Thatcher. It explores how Thatcher's "alone against the superstate" approach shaped subsequent governments' positions.
- John Major: A phase of transition: This chapter analyzes the approach of John Major's government, focusing on the transition period following Thatcher and the continued tensions around the EU.
- New Labour: Old Wine in New Bottles?: This chapter examines the policies of the New Labour government under Tony Blair, exploring the hopes for a pro-European approach and the actual implementation of EU policies.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The key themes of this paper include Britishness, cultural identity, Euroscepticism, European Union, EMU, Margaret Thatcher, John Major, Tony Blair, foreign policy, ideological determinants, and historical phases.
- Quote paper
- Lisanne Dorn (Author), Lars Dittmer (Author), 2007, The United Kingdom as an outsider to the EU, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/92724
