DECLINE AND FALL OF BRITISH POWER: 1963 TO 1990. INTRODUCTION
Journal Title: Вісник Національного технічного університету України “Київський політехнічний інститут”. Політологія. Соціологія. Право. - Year 2018, Vol 3, Issue
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to examine the decline and fall of British power. “Power” is defined as the ability to influence another party and Michael Mann`s four sources of social power is employed as an analytical tool. The paper takes as its starting point the state of Britain at the end of 1963 when the Labour Party was about to retake power following thirteen years in office by the Conservative Party to 1990 when Thatcher resigned. At the heart of the analysis lies the course of Economic Power which remained the Achilles heel of Britain`s decline and fall and indeed continued a trend witnessed in the aftermath of the end of the Second World War when Britain was forced to grant India its independence. Britain faced the threat of a devalued currency on several occasions in the period to 1963 and was forced to devalue its currency in 1967. The paper briefly considers whether the UK should have agreed to the US request for support in the Vietnam War. While other countries, such as Canada and South Korea materially benefitted from their involvement in the war, the UK did not and limited itself to covert assistance – its default setting in maintaining the special relationship with the USA. The UK eventually secured entry into the European project but this was at a most propitious time when the effects of the oil price increases impacted upon the country at a time of considerable upheaval in the economy – some homemade i.e industrial strife, some imported through the inflationary effects of the Vietnam War. Britain`s economic crisis would culminate in its recourse to a bailout from the IMF in 1976. The paper then goes on to consider the effects of the Thatcher years. Britain`s Military Power was enhanced in the victory of the Falklands War and Political Power was positively impacted but this did not translate into securing a greater role in Europe or more influence over the US in the special relationship. It also questions whether the Thatcher years saw any real enhancement in the country`s Economic Power. The paper also considers whether the significant investment in sigint and covert means really magnified Britain`s power to any significant extent. The special relationship had been maintained but to unclear ends. The investment provided no discernible advantage in further its position in the European project given the UK`s proximity to the USA. Britain`s Economic Power remained fragile albeit the collapse of Britain`s manufacturing base now led to increased reliance on the financial sector to fill this “gap”. The next article in the series will examine the course of the UK to the present day and its options in the light of the Brexit decision.
Authors and Affiliations
Chris Weston
Keywords
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