The sovereignty of the union : Europe
When the european Coal and Steel community was formed in 1951, britain thought it was an excellent idea, but nothing to do with britain!long years of an empire based on sea power meant that the traditional attitude to Europe had been to encourage stability there, to discourage any expansionist powers there, but otherwise to leave it well alone.
As the same empire disappeared, and the role of ' the world's policeman' was taken over by the USA , the British government decided to ask for membership of the newly- formed European Communities. it took more than ten years for this to be achieved (in 1973). From the very start, the british attitude to membership has been ambiguous. On the one hand, it is seen as an economic necessity and a political advantage ( increasing Britain's status as a regional power). The referendum on continued membership in 1975 ( the first in british history) pro-duced a two-to-one majority in favour. On the other hand, acceptance does not men enthusiasm. The underlying attitude-that Britain is somehow special - has not really changed and there are fears that Britain is gradually giving up its autonomy. Changes in European domestic policy, social policy or sovereignty arrangements tend to be seen in Britain as a threat, throughout the 1980s and 1990s it has been britain more than any other member of the European Union (as it is now called) which has slowed down progress to wards further European unity. Meanwhile , there is a certain amount of popular distrust of the Brussels bureaucracy.
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