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Summary Britain and Europe 20th and 21st century
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overview of Euroscepticism from Britain in the last century
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Syllabus: The second part of this theme focuses upon the changing nature of Britain’srelationship with Europe. Students should firstly examine why Britain refused to join the
European Coal and Steel Community in 1951. With reference to the period between 1951
and 1973, students should evaluate the role played by a range of political and economic
factors in leading to Britain’s applications to join the EEC.
Between 1973 and 2007, the European model of governance underwent a period of
significant change. In order to assess the impact of these developments upon Britain,
students should examine shifting attitudes towards Europe within both the Labour and
Conservative parties, and evaluate the significance of Euroscepticism in British
political life.
Key issue: ‘Britain has always been a reluctant member of the European Union.’ Examine
the validity of this view of Britain in Europe from 1973 to 2007.
Key term: Euroscepticism
1945 Britain emerges victorious from world war but economically exhausted
1946 Winston Churchill makes his ‘United States of Europe’ speech
● wants to be part of EEC, be EU’s supervisor
● thinks EU can’t survive without UK, GE, FR
1948 Creation of the Organization for European Economic Cooperation (OEEC) to share out
US Marshall aid
1950 Britain rejects the Schuman Plan for a Coal and Steel Community ‘(ECSC) and a
‘federal Europe’
● why?
● Britain had not been occupied during WW2, and was not as convinced as the Six (Fr,
Ge, It, Benelux) of the urgency of creating a European Union. Was in a stronger
position
● The Six felt that the best way to reconstruct their economies was through extracting
concessions through a guilt-ridden Germany. Britain’s post-war trading strategy was
based around the US and the Commonwealth.
● Both Conservatives and Labour were unwilling to hand over any sovereign powers to
an unelected and unaccountable body. The British parliamentary tradition had taken
centuries to develop, political parties were not about to hand over power to an untried
body.
● Labour party (1945-1951) were concerned about the opposition from the unions over
loss of sovereignty (especially the powerful miners union)
● Pride?!
1951 ECSC is created without Britain
1956 The humiliation of the Suez Crisis makes Britain reassess its world role
● becoming clear that UK could not afford to be outside the EEC
● could not act unilaterally in international relations
● solution= being part of a bigger entity
1957 Treaty of Rome to create the European Economic Community (EEC), Britain refuses
to join
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