The Reluctant European: Britain and European Integration Since 1945

Abstract

Britain’s relationship with continental Europe has never been an easy one. Britain’s attitude towards the unfolding, post-war project of European integration consequently differed fundamentally from those of its continental neighbours. Although from a continental perspective, Britain has always been considered to be a part of Europe, this is seen differently from the British point of view. As a result of the geographical separation of their country from the continent, the British people have traditionally shown a tendency to see themselves as more than just another European country. The British self-perception amounts to a subconscious belief that they are a special nation, which is quite different from any of their continental neighbours. Closely connected with this is the British view of the continent as a permanent source of trouble. The British have therefore traditionally been rather content with their geographic isolation. It has generally spared the country the humiliation of foreign occupation, which many of its continental neighbours have had to repeatedly bear. Britain was therefore free to occupy itself fully with the development of its role as a world power, based on a global Empire of nations, which it managed to maintain until the end of the 1950s.KeywordsForeign PolicyLabour PartyBritish PublicWorld PowerBritish PeopleThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.