Идея европейской политической интеграции в истории международных отношений и Великобритания = Ideya yevropeyskoy politicheskoy integratsii v istorii mezhdunarodnykh otnosheniy i Velikobritaniya

Abstract

The article examines the historical origins and characteristics of Great Britain’s European policy from the Middle Ages to the II World War in the context of general trends of development international relations in Europe. Special attention is paid to the analysis of theoretical concepts of leading European political integration. Views of the European (continental) and English (British) thinkers and politicians on the problem of European political unity are presented. According the author’s conclusions we may confirm about the specific British model of European integration and participation the country in processes of regional political association. The imperial strategy of “splendid isolation” in 18th – 19th centuries was embodied in the main principle of the Britain’s European policy and formulated in 1930 by Winston Churchill: “We are with Europe but don’t belong to it.” At the same time, the political thought of UK was developed in line with European trends. William Penn, John Bellers, Jeremy Bentham, James Lorimer put forward their own vision of European political unity. During the II World War the idea of European integration has gained popularity. The originality of British culture, great practical historical experience of European policy, supported by theoretical projects of European political unity formed the necessary basis for the start process of practical implementation idea of European political integration during the second half of the ХХth century.