What factors have led to the notion that Britain is an 'awkward partner' in Europe?
Résumé de l'exposé
The brightest manifestation of the various innovations in Europe was the emergence and the development of the different European communities, later to be merged in the European Union. The history of this process is a complex one. Each State is motivated and implicated in the integration process according to a different agenda since 1945. Thus, the eastern countries shared the common experience of almost 50 years of communism, which gives them different expectations towards the EU. However, despite all this diversity, one country that has emerged with a somewhat indelible image of a difficult, if not terrible, is Britain. In this document, we discuss the various factors that led to the notion that Britain is an "awkward partner? in Europe. The reasons behind their polite and disciplined nature turning to that of a rebellious one in the European context needs to be exposed. We present the major three factors in this document that led to the complexity of this relationship.
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Sommaire de l'exposé
Historical factor, with the overwhelming shadow of British Empire behind it
Political factor: the attitude of successive British governments has strengthened the historical legacy
The way British society suffers some difficulties to conceive itself and to fit within a wider European world
Extraits de l'exposé
[...] British history constitutes the main factor explaining Britain awkwardness within Europe. From the beginning, it did not start well indeed. As Stephen George sums up: 1 January 1973 Britain became a member of the European Communities, twenty-two years after the first of those Communities has been created without British participation. Within a year of achieving membership, Britain was already regarded as something of an awkward partner, a reputation that has remained' (1994: 1). The history of early relationship of Britain with European Union after 1945 can be divided in two periods. [...]
[...] And since Tony Blair said it was not negotiable, it is very likely that the subject will continue to poison the relationship between Britain and its neighbours for a lot of time. The question of the European currency is another factor that persuades other European countries that Britain is an awkward partner. Indeed, despite all Gordon Brown might say about the necessity of economic convergence, the refusal of British government depends more on a sovereignty concern than on an economical one. Adopting the euro would indeed mean a substantial abandon of sovereignty, that goes straight against the idea that Westminster remains the only place where political decision can be taken. [...]
[...] As for all island, British identity is view as exceptional, and separated from the rest of the world. Being British means being independent. Here lays may be the ultimate factor explaining Britain low-involvement and bad image in Europe. As a conclusion, it is worth stepping back from the British case to compare it with other European examples. Indeed, Britain does not have the monopoly of awkwardness, and almost every European Union member state felt ill at ease with the integration process at one point of time or another. [...]
[...] It corresponds to a reluctant membership. The idea of something like the ?united states of Europe' was first propose in Britain by Winston Churchill in 1946. However, he never thought to include the United Kingdom in such a new whole. Indeed, as he said to de Gaulle: ?Each time we must choose between Europe and the open sea, we shall always choose the open sea. Each time I must choose between you and Roosevelt, I shall always choose Roosevelt.' This position was based on the so-called three spheres theory. [...]
Économie, administration & politique