Britain and Europe

Britain before WW2

Britain is an island (same etymology as “isolation” and “insular”) Isolation: surrounded by the sea - Develop a strong navy for protection from other countries - Military purpose - Trade purpose
From the “Economist”: Britain has assets in terms of natural resources, raw materials (coil, iron, water). It has been the “Workshop of the World”, by 1973; Britain has been the first economic power within the sun never set, in a sense of EXTENSION.

Insular (psychological meaning): narrow-minded, self-centred (interested in themselves) ( PRIDE

Britain nowadays

Britain is member of the G8 (8 most righteous countries) as Italy, USA, France, Germany and so on. It is the fifth economic power of the World, one of the 5 permanent members of the Union Nations Security Council as USA, USSA, China and France).
Britain used to be the World power and nowadays is just a world power.

After World War II

Britain was weakened:

Militarily weakened

Britain in World War II was badly damaged; it was only bombed by German airplanes. World War II was the New era where there were two blocs: the Western bloc and the Communist bloc. Britain was included in the Western bloc and not at the head because USA was at the head.

1956: Suez crisis

Suez was a strategic place, it belongs to Egypt and Nasser decided to nationalize the Canal that was controlled by France and Britain. These countries did not appreciate it, they wanted to keep the control of the Canal of Suez and they decided to attack Egypt to keep control. USA and USSA did not support France and Britain and this is the respectful symbol, Britain was no longer the World power because it could not make itself decisions, it has to take account of other countries.

Economically weakened

There was a rationing of coil in Britain in 1988, basic supplies were not abundant, growth rate was far lower than in other European countries like Germany, Italy