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« Since joining the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1973, the UK has had an ambivalent relationship with Europe, torn between the economic benefits of integration and the desire to preserve its sovereignty.

This tension has marked the country's European history, from its participation in the European Union to its exit with the Brexit in 2020. To explore this theme further, we'll ask to what extent is the UK a difficult partner for the European Community? To answer this question, we will analyze two documents.

The first is a speech by John Major in 1993, in which he defends the importance of European cooperation. The second is an Australian cartoon from 2016, published during the Brexit campaign, which illustrates Boris Johnson's criticism of the European Union. So we'll answer this question by analyzing three aspects: economic, political and geopolitical Let’s start with the economic aspect, Indeed, since joining the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1973, the United Kingdom has maintained a complex relationship with its European partners.

Although it has benefited from the economic advantages of integration, its reluctance and its attachment to national sovereignty have made it an ambivalent partner. In the first document, John Major, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, emphasizes the benefits linked to the free movement of people and goods.

In 1992, 24 million Britons traveled to Europe, proof of the growing interconnection facilitated by membership of the European Community.

This openness has helped to stimulate trade and tourism, strengthening ties between the United Kingdom and its European neighbors.

For example, the first Eurostar train, inaugurated in 1994, symbolizes this desire for economic and social rapprochement. British participation in the Common Market provided direct access to a market of millions of consumers, boosting exports and consolidating London as a global financial centre.

Major talks about a Europe perceived as an opportunity for future generations, growing up in a context of increased economic cooperation. However, these advantages are not without criticism.

Although the United Kingdom has benefited from the Common Market, part of the population saw this integration as a gradual abandonment of economic sovereignty, as we can see in Document 2, an Australian cartoon, illustrating the economic frustrations that contributed to Brexit. This cartoon shows Boris Johnson, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, surrounded by European products (Swiss watches, Italian clothing, Czech shoes, etc.), denouncing a supposed dependence of the United Kingdom on European imports.

This argument was central to the discourse of Brexiters, who believed that the European Union benefited more from the United Kingdom than the other way around. Since the 1990s, the United Kingdom has shown signs of economic disengagement.

In 1999, he refused to adopt the euro, preferring to keep the pound sterling.

This choice illustrates a desire to preserve its monetary autonomy and its economic policy. Comparing the two documents, we see a contrast between what John Major says, defending the economic benefits of integration, and the 2016 caricature, which emphasizes the costs and the perceived loss of control. Let's continue with the political aspect. In.... »