Island Psychology And British Foreign Policy

The British diplomacy has always been valued by scholars, whose diplomaticability of manoeuvring among various political groupings with matured experienceand freely diplomatic skills were also concerned by all the nations of the world. Tostudy the British diplomatic issue, many scholars made different conclusions fromdifferent sides, which reflecting the actual situation of British diplomacy from variousrespects and analyzing success and failure of British diplomacy.Psychological methods were often applied in the study of international relations.Consequently, political psychology has even become a relatively matured discipline.But some problems appeared in the actual research in international relations, such asthe unclear distinction of subject and the inappropriate using of theory. Usingpsychological methods and means in international relations had important meaning toenrich the study and the effective use of cross discipline. Systematic examination onthe psychology methods of applying in the field studies is necessary and timely.Social cognition had been the most commonly used psychological method, whereaspsychoanalysis method often consciously or unconsciously been ignored, whosetheoretical basis had unique status in the study of international research. According topsychoanalysis theory, early human experience would have profound psychologicaltrace, affecting the growth and its future development. In the internationalcommunication, accumulated national psychology would affect a country’s foreignpolicy and diplomatic behavior choice, which was obviously reflected in the Britishdiplomatic history.Located in western border of the Europe, Britain is separated from the rest ofEurope by the English Channel in the south and the North Sea in the east. With glaciermelting and sea level rising, the UK and continental Europe gradually separatedduring the Quaternary Period. Thus it produces a kind of fear of separated frommatrix in the early human psychology. Subsequent acts of aggression of Romans, theAnglo Saxons and the Vikings also have huge effects on British psychology. Inherent fear of separation and long-term bullied history gradually formed a unique IslandNation Psychology. Once the Island Nation Psychology was formed, whose corecontents were fear and insecurity, it may affect the British foreign policy andbehavior.In order to eliminate the fear, the British initially expanded toward EuropeanMainland, attempting to become a continental country. After the failure of expansion,it actively sought other ways to eliminate the anxiety. There are generally three kindsof methods--self dependence, affiliation and ablation. These three methods had beentried in the UK, such as the establishment of the world empire, the establishment ofspecial relationship with America, be neither friendly nor aloof with Europe etc. Thecurrent British diplomacy need to face the Island Nation Psychology formedhistorically, exert the wisdom and experience of compromise constantly, clarifydiplomatic position, deal with the relations among major countries and make aneffective integration of Europe.