Britain and European cooperation since 1945 - Sean Greenwood

Britains failure to participate in ventures aimed at European unity in the late 1940s and 1950s is frequently condemned as shortsighted and an indicator of a British failure to come to terms with the realities of the postwar world.

A closer look at the events of the postwar period reveals that, initially at least, Britain had a remarkably positive attitude towards European political and economic cooperation. Rejection of the kind of unity proposed by the European federalists was not entirely shortsighted, and was based on the realistic assumption that Britains economic position was stronger than those she was being asked to merge with. Only when this position had shifted in the 1960s did European cooperation begin to look attractive. Undoubtedly, this late entry into Europe provided singular difficulties for successive British governments and leaders. Not least among these is Margaret Thatcher who, uniquely in postwar Britain, fell in large part because of her negative stance on European integration.

This new and accessible book provides a clear, concise introduction to the key issues of the period, drawing on much recent research.