Hi! Thanks for the question.
It seems that Britain is indeed an awkward member of Europe not only
because of its economic power and other issues but also mainly due to
its history and personality. I have found the following articles
discussing the problems British have with the EU. I will provide small
snippets from the articles I will cite but I highly recommend that you
read them in their entirety to get a better grasp of the concepts.
- Britain has an identity crisis when it sees itself joining the EU.
?Analysts too often ignore the history of Britain leading from empire
to indecisive participant in the slow lane of the European club.
During the 1950s and ?60s, Establishment-bashing wreaked havoc on the
moral fiber of the nation. By 1973, stripped of world dominions and
beaten about from within, Britain had already become a weakened world
contender.?
?Britain, bereft of empire and seriously undermined of moral fiber
from within, was left with a serious identity crisis! Only 80 years
earlier, Great Britain had been at the height of a world-girdling
empire?with a greatness built on government, tradition and a
God-fearing society. Now, as just a small, debilitated nation off the
coasts of Europe, what inner resources could it draw on for the
future? Where should it go now? As Britain entered the European
Community, no one seemed to know the answer to that question.?
- Britain has historical enemies in the EU.
?On the whole, the older generation and the fading Establishment dug
in their heels. Making an economic pact with Europe would mean rubbing
shoulders in the marketplace with the enemy of only a few short
decades ago! That was just too much to contemplate! Plus, it would
mean giving up pounds, shillings and ounces, and taking on the
European decimal system.?
- Britain is still undecided on what can they benefit from joining the EU.
?Alarming all the same, 30 years later the British electorate still
has a split personality over Europe, this time leaning even more
toward an anti-Europe outlook. Little has changed. The UK is still
dragging its feet over basic issues?those most recently in the
spotlight being whether or not to join the euro and the expansion of
the Union.?
?Surveys reveal the majority within the nation still question whether
the price of being a fully fledged EU member might not be too high.
Divided, confused and shorn of royal identity, the British public is
caught in a cleft stick.?
?Dragging Its Feet Over Europe?
http://www.thetrumpet.com/geo/na/docs/issues/200303/dragging-feet.asp
- The Psychological Frame of Mind of Britain in Joining the EU
?Nick Clegg began by saying that the UK joined the EU in a very
different psychological frame of mind than the other founding
countries. For Franco-Germans the EU was formed to prevent another
war. For the Spanish and Italians, the EU was a victory of democracy
over dictatorship. Only the British joined out of a sense of defeat
and weakness; there was no alternative and UK power was subsequently
diminished, the apathy we see now is a legacy of that attitude. ?
?Does Britain want a Future in Europe??
http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:zGttwGJafn4J:www.cfr.org.uk/Events/Does%2520Britain%2520want%2520a%2520Future%2520in%2520Europe%2520Report.doc+Britain+EU+integration+problems&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
- Britain?s Economic Concerns
?Differences between the British economy and the economies of other EU
member states explain some of the distinctive British position. The
problem of the British budget contributions was partly due to a higher
dependence of Britain on trade with non-EC states, which raised the
levels of contributions under the agricultural levy and import duties
elements.?
?The high level of investments in the rest of the world by British
companies helps to explain the emphasis of successive British
governments on the need to adopt an open attitude to relations with
the world outside the EU. It also partly explains British support for
the efforts of the United States to play the role of global policeman,
and guarantor of stability for international capital.?
- The Attitude of Britain?s Political Elite
?The British political elite may have found it difficult to adapt to
EU decision-making because in the British political system the
practice of coalition and compromise, which is normal in many other
parts of Europe, is not usual.?
?Finally, the attachment of the British elites to the special
relationship with the United States is not just a reflection of the
economic links across the Atlantic. It also reflects cultural
similarities, and a common attitude to the need for world order to be
maintained. Britain was the hegemonic world power before the United
States adopted that role, and it is still not unusual to hear at least
an older generation of British officials compare the relationship of
Britain to the United States to that between ancient Greece and Rome.?
?Britain as an 'Off Mainstream' Member of the EU?
http://www.europaprogrammet.no/sider/4_publikasjoner/4_bokerhefter/hefter/98_5/george.html
- British fears of EU integration
?I fear some of my colleagues may be fighting the battles of
Maastricht and sometimes even the Treaty of Rome. European
citizenship, the primacy of EU law, and legal personality are already
established principles of the union as it has evolved largely under
Conservative governments for more than 25 years.?
?The Tories must stop being afraid of Europe?
http://www.obv.org.uk/europe/eu20031006a.html
In our list of the problems Britain has on joining the EU, we
mentioned that the former has historical enemies in this organization.
This article from the BBC provides a glimpse of the conflict.
?Blair seeks to slow EU integration?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/811462.stm
We also mentioned the economic concerns of the Britain once it joins
the EU. These two articles provide the reasons why Britain should
stick with the pound.
?Ten Reasons to Keep the Pound?
http://www.no-euro.com/whatwebelieve/tenreasons.asp
?The Case Against the Euro?
http://www.no-euro.com/whatwebelieve/case.asp
Search terms used:
Britain EU integration anti-Europe awkward problems history
I hope these links would help you in your research. Before rating this
answer, please ask for a clarification if you have a question or if
you would need further information.
Thanks for visiting us.
Regards,
Easterangel-ga
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