The recognition of Britain’s loss of great power status factor is closely linked with the fact that Britain’s empire had disintegrated. Britain saw its empire come apart. In the 1940s India, Burma and Ceylon became independent. Britain had lost their ‘Jewell’ of the empire, India. Britain had now lost its empire which led to the breakdown of Britain’s great power status.
The fact that Britain had lost its empire is linked to the fact that Britain could no longer have the close relations with other countries anymore which led to the breakdown of British trade and therefore its economy. Britain had economic difficulties by the 1960s. The EEC was a solution in fixing these economic problems. Britain could not turn to its ‘good friend’ the US because the relationship between the two countries was breaking down. Britain could not keep up with the cold war arms race due to its weakening economy.
Linked to why Britain tried to join the EEC, was the success of the EEC. As an organisation it worked perfectly. It was constantly growing economically and physically. The EEC offered Economic co operation which worked well. The EEC united Europe. Britain wanted to be a part of it.
Britain, with its proud empire and its relationship with the USA, thought it should stay separate but move towards European Unity. Politicians and the British people took this view because they wanted Britain involved in the European Unity but did not want to lose their relationship with the USA. Unfortunately it could only be one or the other. Politicians, by 1962, believed that applying for the EEC would be the best course of action. This is because of the success of the EEC, greater and faster than the government’s advisors had predicted. Also it was because Commonwealth links were weakening. Commonwealth was becoming economically less important and Europe more important to Britain. The Sues crisis (1956) proved to the British that it was no longer a great power, compared with the US and Soviet Union. This also proved that Britain could no longer completely rely on its relationship with the USA. Finally the EEC was forging closer and closer links between its members. Politicians believed then that the longer Britain stayed outside, the harder entry would become.
I think Britain was a proud country, even in the 1960s, and despite watching its empire crumble and its relationships breakdown, Britain was still important. I think Britain saw the EEC, when it was set up, and would never dream of joining it because Britain was a ‘world leader’. Once Britain realised the situation it was in, Britain tried to join the EEC realising it was the best course of action.
