The Reason Studies Of Anglo-German Differences In The Attitude For European Integration (1950-1960): Cognition And Identity Perspective

Since the end of World War II, Europe, which has suffered major erosion, only chooses to joint together to achieve self-improvement between two great powers. This is also the beginning of regional integration in the contemporary history. In this process, the behavior and attitude of European great power towards integration will be the key factors to decide if it can start and continue to develop, as they have the strength and political influence which other small countries do not have. During the half century of European integration, Britain, France and Germany have been affecting the joint of European. Basically, France and Germany can use a voice in the decision-making of European integration, but Britain is an exception, or even it is a multi-block. Contrast three countries, Britain's and Germany's attitude are especially differences on European integration and the effect of both are disparity in uniting. Britain was regards as "disturbing the members" or called "bad members" by the other European countries, while Germany has become the leader. One, the victor of the war, glamorous, high hopes had been placed, the other was a defeated and notorious nation, which was broken down and punished by victorious. But eventually in the process of European integration made two countries' European status differently, even affected their international position. The reasons can be traced back to the start of European integration (1950-1960), because both of them had different cognition for their own international environment and nation strength, and construct different national identity which led their completely contradict attitudes of European integration. This thesis chooses perception and Identity as two variables to analyze the reason of Britain's and Germany's different attitude to European integration.