By 1964 Britain - No longer considered world power

• Define a world power - intro

  • Empire - Pre WW2
  • Economy
  • Nukes
• Agree Point 1

  Empire was irrelevant as the power became defined by nukes

  • Process of decolonisation began with India dismantling empire and subsequent governments following
  • MacMillan and end of empire 1957-68
  • Wind of Change
  • Could not afford empire any longer
• Agree Point 2

  Aftermath of Suez crisis means Britain found themselves internationally isolated and came to the realisation that they could not act without American financing and support

  • Threat of economic collapse with Foriegn investors backing out and America
  • Eisenhower fury illustrated how Britain could no longer act on its own accord without American support
• Agree Point 3

  Britain struggling to keep up with the Russia and America in terms of nuclear capability

  • Economic main issue - Polaris in exchange for Scotland base
  • Public opposition CND
  • Nuclear arms now defined world powers
• Agree Point 4

  EEC Rejection twice highighted humiliating failure and exposed international weakness
• Disagree Point 1

  Britain was a nuclear power

  • Atomic Bomb created 1955
  • Hydrogen Bomb created 1957
  • They could play a central part in nuclear discussions
• Agree Point 5

  Lowest GDP growth rate in Western Europe and we could not keep up.

  • 1.7 billion on defence and not enough invested in industry
  • Failing to match growth rates of industry in japan and USA and Germany
  • Germany and Japan had rebuilt post World War Two and were able to produce at a much larger capacity in their modern factories unlike Britain and her decrepit Victorian facilities.
  • Lack of innovation
  • We were moving to an economy of service and not industry