BRITAIN AND EUROPEAN INTEGRATION: THE AWKWARD PARTNER THESIS REVISITED

Thesis (M.A.) , 1999 , 78 Pages , Grade: 1.7

Politics - Topic: European Union

The argument advanced here is that the AP thesis presupposes a negative behaviour by UK governments vis-à-vis their European counterparts. This is explained by endogenous constraints that are imposed upon the core executive. These constraints are mainly caused by the divergence of domestic political forces. Slow and different
rates of adaptation to the EU decision-making level are to be emphasised. While central government has already adjusted to the EU level, it attempts to retain its ‘gatekeeper’ role between domestic and European political spheres. In contrast to the AP thesis, this
paper shall show that in the run-up to the SEA Britain was not more negative than other member states. The UK representatives made proposals and concessions, as did everyone else.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
• INTRODUCTION
• CHAPTER ONE:
  • BRITAIN IN THE EUROPEAN UNION
  • AWKWARD PARTNER AND SEMI-DETACHED MEMBER
  • CONTEXT: BRITAIN AND EUROPE IN THE ACADEMIC DEBATE
  • THEORETICAL CLAIMS OF THE AWKWARD PARTNER THESIS
  • THE INTERNATIONAL FACTORS: ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT, POLITICAL ADAPTATION, SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP TO THE U.S.
  • Domestic political constraints
  • Political Forces
  • Institutions
  • Policies
  • ADAPTABILITY OF BRITAIN'S AWKWARDNESS
  • CONCRETE DEVELOPMENTS EXPLAINED
  • SUMMARY AND CRITICAL ASSESSMENT
• CHAPTER TWO:
  • BRITAIN AND THE SINGLE EUROPEAN ACT
  • background
  • chronology of events and the white paper
  • The INTERGOVERNMENTAL CONFERENCE and its results
  • British contributions to the SINGLE ACT
  • The British domestic political dimension
  • Summary and conclusions
• CHAPTER THREE:
  • CONCLUSIONS AND LIBERAL INTERGOVERNMENTALISM
  • Awkward Partner Thesis and Single European Act revisited
  • Contradictions, inconsistencies, implications
  • PUTTING An end to British awkwardness?
  • central government, and the Link to EUROPEAN Integration THEORIES
  • Liberal Intergovernmentalism: The way forward for the Awkward Partner THESIS
• BIBLIOGRAPHY

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte

This paper aims to revisit the Awkward Partner (AP) thesis, a theoretical framework explaining Britain's perceived semi-detached status within the European Union. It challenges the thesis's core tenets by examining the Single European Act (SEA) and analyzing the UK's role in its development. The paper argues that the AP thesis misrepresents the UK's behavior, attributing it to negative constraints rather than acknowledging the UK's active participation in the EU decision-making process.

• The Awkward Partner Thesis and its limitations
• The UK's role in the Single European Act
• The influence of domestic political forces on the UK's EU policy
• The need for a revised understanding of the AP thesis
• The potential of Liberal Intergovernmentalism to provide a more accurate framework

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel

Chapter One introduces the Awkward Partner thesis and its theoretical claims, exploring the historical context of Britain's relationship with Europe. It examines the international factors influencing the UK's position, including economic adjustment, political adaptation, and the special relationship with the United States. The chapter also delves into domestic political constraints, analyzing the role of political forces, institutions, and policies in shaping the UK's EU policy.

Chapter Two focuses on the Single European Act (SEA), providing a detailed account of its development and the UK's role in the process. It examines the Intergovernmental Conference, the UK's contributions to the SEA, and the domestic political dimension of the UK's involvement. The chapter concludes by summarizing the key findings and their implications for the Awkward Partner thesis.

Schlüsselwörter

The keywords and focus themes of the text include the Awkward Partner thesis, British European integration, the Single European Act, domestic politics, Liberal Intergovernmentalism, and the UK's role in the European Union. The paper examines the validity of the Awkward Partner thesis by analyzing the UK's behavior during the development of the Single European Act, highlighting the influence of domestic political forces and exploring alternative theoretical frameworks for understanding the UK's relationship with the EU.

• College: York University
• Grade: 1.7
• Author: Christian Splett (Author)
• Publication Year: 1999
• Pages: 78
• Catalog Number: V185510
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656980902
• ISBN (Book): 9783869430256
• Language: English
• Tags: britain, european, integration, awkward, partner, thesis, revisited