European involvement Flashcards
role of
entrepreneurs in world politics
One perspective of the EU
seen as a way for smaller states to become part of a larger society and decision making process that will ultimately aim to have a positive impact on their economy and status.
In the absence of a Nordic input
there is a possibility that issues such as gender equality and environmental activism due to their continued influence in these fields.
EFTA- SND joined this in 1959
It enabled tariff free trade without handing over sovereignty to the European institutions.
European authority- Policy cooperations centres itself on
agricultural production, common energy and military cooperation.
By 1995 Sweden was keen to gain access to the EU
because neutrality and non market integration were seen as being non favourable in an increasingly globalising world
Norway in 1994 on the EU
anti European movement in Norway remained victorious
Finns on EU
The Finns have been the most pro EU out of the Scandinavian countries- they were the first to join the Euro and after their split with the soviet union their employment levels dropped and they favoured market integration as a way of stabilising the economy.
Presidency of EU
For six months at a time the countries of Sweden, Denmark and Finland have all had an influential role in the decision making. Sweden wanted to improve environmental standards and transparency whilst Denmark prioritised enlargement negotiations for ten new states.
How did Finland demonstrate its influence when holding Presidency?
forcing the EU’s attentions to the northern area of Europe where resources could be exploited but also where borders could be strengthened- this is the Northern Dimension
During the Danish presidency
Looked to help non member countries to ratify the Kyoto protocol in 1992 and also make sure nations were keeping in line with UN recommendations for aid.
Norway and Iceland separate themselves on
the practicing of Whaling- their practices are see as no longer acceptable by other western nations whereas it has been allowed, as long as sustainable, the respective governments- it maintains a sense of identity and is a strong source of income.
Norwegian stance on whaling in the 90s
Norwegians resumed whaling criticising the IWC for letting the decisions be made by environmentalists.
Danish referendum on EU in the 90s
50% voted against the integration
Inter- scandi coop
Attempts to build stronger unity and cooperation within the scandinavian community in the 20th century- the failure of the Nordic nations to build a nordic customs union and to build a Scandinavian defence alliance both failed. - instead much of the foreign policy in the Nordic states can be characterised by nationalist interests
The failure of the Scandinavian defence alliance
an be attributed to the lack of cooperation between leaders- Norway favoured cooperation with the US whilst the political nature of each country varied.
Impact of war period on integration
The initial feeling was one of increased sovereignty- animosity held between Sweden and Norway whilst Denmark believed that they could maintain sovereignty especially after their success in their resistance
Finland and Iceland on NATO
In Finland they never really had the opportunity to join NATO due to previous Soviet relations- they are now a partner country
the years 1989-1991
were generally seen as a major european turning point- Berlin wall came down, the end of the cold war. During the cold war the Scandinavian countries were wary of USSR prominence and despite the death of Stalin there were Hungarian uprisings years later that dashed hopes of cooperation .
Norway and Iceland joined the EEA-
meaning that their was no imposition on sovereignty and also the economic integration could be maintained- for Iceland it meant no restrictions like fishing quotas.
Denmark referenda
held the highest number of referenda on the matter
The main argument for european integration
has long been economic prosperity- the nature of an increasingly capitalist world has meant that many of the businesses backed european integrations in favour of the trade is secured. The swedes also saw it as a way of reversing the effects of what they saw as an over taxed economy.
Religion has played a small role in the reluctance to integrate into Europe
he Nordic countries are protestant as opposed to the drives of integration who have been typically catholic democrats. There was also no state of hostility, as there was between France and Germany, to overcome.
By 1990 what was the overall export of all trade to the soviet union by the Finns?
5% of all trade went to the SU whereas in the 80s it had been a figure around 20%.- supported their bid to join the EU.
In Norway and Denmark the eurosceptics
were equally against those conspiring to integrate into the EU as they were about the prospects of loosing sovereignty.
Mobilisation for the 1994 Norwegian referendum
was 12% higher than that of the 1972 election- showing that the importance of the issue had not been diminished.
he 2000 referendum in Denmark on the Euro
was clearly a ‘nationalisation’ of Euroscepticism- whereas previously the sceptics had been linked to poor education and poorer economic backgrounds, the votes now highlighted a consistent anti Europe sentiment.
In Sweden the ‘no’ campaign
managed to persuade people that it was still possible to reject the Euro without it meaning you were rejecting Europe too- they employed a ‘wait and see’ tactic that seemed to work in 2006.
Role of the Scandinavian countries in european peace keeping
Sweden inspected Saddam Hussains weapons to find that there was no weapon of mass destruction- the Finnish prime minister also was responsible for constructing the good Friday agreement in Northern Ireland
humanitarian work
all barring Finland boycotted the 1980 Moscow olympics over Soviet imposition in Afghanistan. This humanitarian work is further supported in the Swedish involvement in Vietnam.
Norway on NATO-
in 2014 the country was in a sense rewarded for its close work with NATO when Stoltenberg was positioned as the secretary general of NATO-
Full EU member states
Sweden, Denmark and Finland
Denmark on Treaty of Lisbon
Opt out from the EDA, also under article 222 of the Lisbon treaty they will not be forced to join forces in the event that a EU nation fall victim to a military attack.
Very difficult to
group the Nordic nations- in response to the Treaty of Lisbon article 222 both the non NATO members ratified the law without further contestation- showing perhaps the inconsistencies between the nations
Swede on conflict
ambiguous- maintains that it has a history of neutrality yet wasn’t strictly neutral in either the winter war or the world war 2.
In addition- involved in clandestine nuclear programme despite being central in the Scandinavian defence alliance discussions
Sweden and the west
maintained strict alliances with the West and were instrumental in intelligence recon. During the cold war ^
Sweden now
currently they are not members of NATO however they do actively involve themselves in the CSDP - they still take part in exercises with NATO
Sweden on NATO
in 2013 the country joined the rapid response force of NATO- They also provide logistics and help by providing Swedish airforce fighter aircraft for NATO operations
Denmark on Cold War and NATO
the country’s leadership was repeatedly criticised for not maintaining the necessary defence budget levels.
Denmark willingness to cooperate
they often provide get out clauses in their agreements leaving them to not be seen as in solidarity. They also rejected the 1992 maastricht treaty.
From 1992 for Finland
the signing of the friendship treaty with Russia and also the movement towards cooperation with the west - strong sense of readiness to cooperate. the Public though has always been sceptical of NATO integration especially considering the past relations with Russia.
Norwegian base policy
early on in NATO history, Norway refused to have nuclear weapons or military bases positioned there if there was no threat of an attack
Norwegian defence expenditure
increased in 2016- only country to do so, also consistently the country with the highest % GDP on defence
Norway on Russia
wary of the strength of Russia- pushed NATO to increase military presence in the arctic given the increased activity of Russia in the area.
Why did they try to create the nordic alliance?
following the 48-49 tensions rising in the eastern and western blocks
Denmark initially viewed NATO
as simply an alternative to the Scandinavian alliance- which would serve their interests
In several of the Nordic nations- which parties objected to joining NATO?
The communists
What events seemed to give credence to Norway joining NATO?
The communist rise in czechoslovakia was proof of the movement of the east. They also believed that Norden as a whole would not be strong enough as a unit to defend itself from attacks.
Why was Sweden forced to allow Nazi german troops to cross through Sweden?
Although they were supposedly neutral, their position had to be withdrawn due to the low economic status of the nation at the time, but also due to the week state of their military.
Nordic balance
consisted of Danish and Norwegian coop with NATO
Swedish Neutrality
Finnish ties with the Soviet union through the FCMA treaty
Denmark and Norway showed how they were not strong members of NATO
the stocking of Nuclear weapons on their territory
What did Iceland say to the US when joining NATO
they are a country of individuals and want to remain independent from too much foreign interference- this should be mentioned in the context of what had been planned British Interference in 1940
Defence budget in Sweden
decreased during the cold war from 80-88 whereas the NATO members increased their budgets by 13%
Nordic Balance signified
a high level of mutua dependence and awareness of what was at stake regionally
United states dependence
on Nordic countries- in particular Denmark who provided a gateway to the Nordic states.
Factors for explaining why the Nordic countries may have been keen to remain independent
Desire to exorcize the memories of world was German occupation
Curious situation the five states found themselves in
all faced with a continuing geopolitical predicament- germany-> to the soviet union
Another way of looking at Finlandisation
sovietisation the soft way- where the neutrality of a state ceded to the powers of the Soviet
Finlandisation started
the soviet council proposed regular meetings with Finland, based on foreign policy
Impact of finlandisation on the Finns
intervening domestic policy- contrary to the FCMA agreement
self censorship in the media- this was partly due to Soviet pressures to conform
Furthermore there was influence by the KGB in Helsinki
Finlanised youth
they were becoming increasingly submissive and conforming- partaking in communist youth activity
Positives of Finlandisation
lead to a strong economic policy- economic prosperity
ECC trade agreement organised in 1973
posterior view of the Kekkonen era
prefer to skirt over the facts that reveal a tricky period in the Finnish history - they have moved on and is now very interconnected
Despite their two efforts to rebel against the communist intervention their position was not one that was detrimental to Finnish prosperity in the long run.
Swedish involvement in the Cold war with Britain
Britain was determined to use Sweden during the War- it maintained the 4th largest Air force in the world and was vital in ball bearings and iron production.- however they were unwilling to act alone in being a counterweight.
If Finland gave in to Soviet pressures
the effects would be grave for Sweden, Denmark and Norway.
