Why Has Britain's Relationship With Europe Proved Controversial Flashcards
What did Britain play a huge role in creating in 1948 that administered Marshall Aid?
Organisation for European Economic CO-operation (OEEC)
What organisation was Britain one of the original signatories in April 1949?
NATO
What was Britain a founding member of in May 1949, that prompted unity and human rights?
Council of Europe
Why did Britain not join many European agreements in the 1950s?
As many felt it threatened national sovereignty
Why did the Conservative governments of the 1950s not join the EEC?
They hoped to make the colonel Empire and Commonwealth into a trading bloc stronger than the EEC
Disliked the commitment to closer union contained in the Treaty of Roe
Did not believe that France and Germany could overcome centuries of hostility quickly enough to make the EEC a success
Why did Macmillan try to establish a new relationship with Europe?
He realised the colonial empire had no future
What did Macmillan set up in 1960 to rival the EEC until Britain’s economic difficulties the next year convinced him to join the Common Market?
The European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
Why did both sides of the extreme of the two major parties not want to join the EEC?
Labour’s left want to extend nationalisation and join a organisation committed to free enterprise would not help, the Conservative party had a faction look back nostalgically to the days of Empire
Why was British attitude more positive towards Europe by the mid 1970s after the scepticism after WW2, shown in the 2:1 for vote in the 1975 referendum?
The loss of the empire
The economic susses of the EEC compared to the EFTA
The premiership of Heath, who was pro-European
Encouragement from the USA
The retirement of De Gaulle in 1969 made British entry possible
What was Thatcher convinced Britain was making towards the EEC in 1980?
A disproportionately large contribution to the EEC
What was Thatcher and her supporters convinced was the reason for the economic success in the 1980s?
Thatcher’s polices rather than EEC membership
What confirmed to Euro-skeptics that European membership did not benefit Britain?
Britain’s humiliating withdrawal from the ERM in 1992
Why were many Conservatives scared of the Maastricht Treaty?
Because it threatened British/parliamentary sovereignty
What was the positive for any pro-Europeans in the 1990s?
Britain belfried from being part of the world’s largest single market
The tree movement removed obstacles to business within Europe
Common regulation benefited all member countries
The EU attracted more investment into Britain from outside Europe
