1. Foreign Affairs  The main topics concerning the international British policy are:  British relations with the U.S.A.  The Commonwealth  The European Union  The Irish question

2.  The beginning of the twentieth century testifies the decline of the British colonial Empire.  Canada and Australia gained independence.  Other countries in Africa and Asia wanted to be decolonized at the end of the II World War.  The rise of the Cold War, moreover, drastically reduced the worldwide importance of the U.K.  Great Britain felt the urgency to reinvent a new identity

3. Great Britain, Nowdays  Today’s Britain is still economically a global power.  Its major interests are about maintaining steady economic and political status.  International British policy emphasizes the importance of diplomatic actions, but it also took some unilateral actions, e.g. Falklands War in 1982.  Great Britain is a NATO member.

4. The Commonwealth  The British empire turned into the British Commonwealth in 1931 when most former English colonies declared their independence.  It is made of 54 independent member states.  A British cultural heritage is still evident in the majority of these countries.  English as a common language.  The British monarch has an important symbolic function.

5.  There is a Commonwealth Secretariat in London.  Nowadays supporters believe that the Commonwealth should be more concrete.  Others think that its future existence is in doubt due to the Britons’ preference for the E.U.

6. The European Union  In 1975 the positive result of a Referendum authorized by a Labour government let Great Britain become part of the EC (European Community) after being already a member state of the EEC (European Economic Community).  With the Maastricht Treaty it became the EU (The European Union): European currency, European Bank and defence.  It currently consists of 27 member states with a potential future growth.

7.  The main institution is the European Council.  Pro/anti-European political parties.  British perception of the EU according to some surveys.  Young generations and the concept of Europeanism.

8. Ireland  Since the 12 th century Ireland has been subdued by the Britons.  Through the centuries there were many conflicts.  The situation got worse when Ireland refused in the 16 th century to accept a Protestant government.  Both Oliver Cromwell and William of Orange suppressed rebellions.  Potato famine in the 19° century

9.  An enormous emigration was the most appalling consequence.  The people who stayed demanded more autonomy.  Home rule for Ireland was finally granted in 1921/22 when Ireland was divided in two parts.  Conflicts between Catholics and Protestants.  1968 a very violent period.  The Irish Republican Army (IRA)