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Lecture 2: Britain and the world

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Wax works

This week’s lecture looks at Britain in the 1980s in its international context. We will explore the background and significance of debates around Europe and outline the ways in which Europe became a symbol of deep seated divisions within conservatism.

Beyond Europe, this week’s lecture will outline Britain’s relationship with the United States; the political romance between Reagan and Thatcher. By looking at Britain in its cold war context we will be able to trace the significance of panics over espionage and security, particularly Spycatcher and look at their significance and impact.

Some questions you need to consider before the lecture

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To what extent was Britain as a nation imagined through the lens of Europe?
How did Britain's relationship with the United States change?
How did the British government maintain security in the cold war?

Reading

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Reading

Set readings

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1984 Autumn-USA
and

1982 Special:EEC

British Library

*Adonis, Andrew and Hames, Tim 'Chapter 6', A Conservative revolution? : the Thatcher-Reagan decade in perspective (1994) Reserve / JD 2150 UK (Con)

Seldon,A and Collings D Britain Under Thatcher (2000) p11-14, p50- 56, p72-75, 104, 112-118

Further Reading

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A number of MOP respondents discuss Britain's international standing and ideas of national identity in their replies to

1982 Special: Falklands War
and

1981 Day Survey: Royal Wedding

There is some discussion of the impact of Europe in

1984 Summer-Banking

The relationship between domestic events and the global context is often discussed in

1986 Autumn-Events

Interim Report of the Sub-Committee on Conventional Defence in Europe
Britain without Thatcher
Routing Out-The Transport of Nuclear Materials

You might want to look at the video for Frankie Goes to Hollywood's Two Tribes. The Offical Frankie Goes to Hollywood website will give you some more context.

Thatcher's Bruges speech in which she outlines her view of Europe in September 1988 is available here.

From the other side of the Atlantic, cartoonist Steve Greenberg embodied Thatcher and Reagan's 'special relationship' in his cartoons.

If you are interested in how foreign policy dictated, and responded to, Britain's international relations then have a look at Byrd, Peter British foreign policy under Thatcher (1988) Reserve / DA 589.8 Bri or Cradock, Percy In pursuit of British interests : reflections on foreign policy under Margaret Thatcher and John Major / (1997) Main / DA 589.8 CraFor more information on the issues of national security see Croft, Stuart British security policy : the Thatcher years and the end of the Cold War (1991) Main / UA 647 Bri You can also use some of the readings from seminar 3

Lecture Resources

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Lecture Resources

Lecture 2: Britain and the World Powerpoint

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file: Lecture_resources/Lecture_2/1984.ppt