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Euros, pounds and Albion at arms: European monetary policy and British defense in the 21st century

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited / In the United Kingdom, a central issue of contemporary foreign policy is whether or not to enter into full membership of the European Monetary Union (EMU). Membership has profound implications for the development of the European Union (EU) and the future of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and potentially upon the much heralded Anglo-American 'special relationship'. On a practical level, excluding the political implications of membership, joining the EMU means surrendering the pound sterling for the euro and in doing so the British would also surrender control of monetary policy. This thesis will examine the historical links between British defence and monetary policy and argues that there are strong historical bonds that link the two in the political psychology of Britain. This link has created for Britain twin nationalistic icons in the pound and the military. This thesis illustrates that a paradox exists in that membership in the EMU would improve British defence spending and yet nationalistic forces resist membership. At the same time, forces in Britain in favor of monetary integration, unable to accomplish it but pressured to show they are dedicated to the project of European integration, paradoxically commit to further defence integration thought the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the EU. / Lieutenant, United States Navy

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:nps.edu/oai:calhoun.nps.edu:10945/1431
Date09 1900
CreatorsFox, Timothy William
ContributorsAbenheim, Donald, Boulton, Warwick, Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)., National Security Affairs
PublisherMonterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School
Source SetsNaval Postgraduate School
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Formatxii, 97 p. ;, application/pdf
RightsThis publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. As such, it is in the public domain, and under the provisions of Title 17, United States Code, Section 105, may not be copyrighted.

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