Butter, Sweat and Tears - Australia, Canada and New Zealand during Great Britain’s Negotiations with the European Economic Community, 1958-1973

Abstract

This book is a translation of the PhD thesis "Butter, Wut und Tränen: Australien, Kanada und Neuseeland während Großbritanniens Verhandlungen mit der Europäischen Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft, 1958-1973". The focus of this book is on the Dominions and their reactions to British negotiations with the European Economic Community after the Second World war. It is a transnational study which describes the economic as well as the emotional relationship between the Dominions and their mothercountry. The main thesis is that Great Britain’s shift towards continental Europe led to fear, anger and a search for a distinct national identity in all three countries. Australia, Canada and New Zealand were forced to build their own trading links during the time of the Cold War which resulted in new foreign policy concepts and a distinct “Australian”, “Canadian” and “New Zealand” identity: Emotional and economic aspects were linked to each other. Furthermore, this book shows the deep connection between the countries of the “old Commonwealth” at the beginning of the 1960s and the changes within the Commonwealth in the second half of the last century.