British Government and Politics e-bog

This deeply informed text sets the government and politics of Britain firmly in the context of Britains enduring membership in the European Union. Michael L. Mannin thoroughly applies the concept of Europeanization across the political system to explore how far change is a product of Britains interdependent relationship with the EU. He shows how the EUs treaty relationships present new challenges to sovereign states, especially Britain, whose psyche has long revolved around iconic notions of Parliamentary sovereignty, imperial power, national independence, and an assumed cultural homogeneity. Examining the cultural, economic, and social background to Britains twenty-first century politics, Mannin challenges some of the historical myths on which Britains exceptionalism is founded. He then analyzes contemporary political institutions and processes in the context of Europeanization, as well as the impact of the EU on policy and policy making. Ideal for courses in British and European politics, this book breaks new ground in exploring the complex interdependence that the EU should bring to the study of European political systems.