The United Kingdom and the European Union

The United Kiingdom is one of several European states which make up the European Union. The UK joined the European Union in 1973 for the purpose of strenghtening its economic and political relations with other European states. The UK sought to boost its trade links with other nations in continental Europe, through the liberalized common market. The UK was motivated to join the EU to export more manufactured goods to other European countries with fewer restrictions.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The United Kingdom and the European Union specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More All EU member states are required to remove barriers on movement of goods, people and labor between their borders. UK’s association with the EU has helped the country benefit from strong economic ties with other nations in Europe. The country’s Industrial and financial sectors, have greatly benefited from strong relations the country has with other EU member states (Bannin 67). The UK government’s engagement with other EU member states has been mainly influenced by the benefits it gets from the common market. Political leaders in the country have been skeptical of treaties between member states, which allow for free migration of labor and adoption of the Euro as a single currency for all member states. The UK government refused to accept the Schengen agreement, which allows people to move freely across borders of EU member states with fewer restrictions. The UK government has also failed to agree with other states on various issues which are important to the future of the EU. The EU is currently facing a lot of economic challenges which have discouraged Britain from contributing funds to assist troubled member states. Several EU member states are experiencing severe economic problems caused by poor fiscal and financial policies (Gowland 87). EU member states have been forced to intorduce policies to help faltering member states revive their economies. The association between UK and the EU has several implications for both parties. The financial services sector in the country has linkages with other financial systems in Europe. There is an increase in the volume of financial transactions done between UK firms and those in other EU member states due to liberalized trade policies. The concept of free trade and open borders allows more British businessmen to take advantage of economic opportunities in other EU member countries (Burrell 59). This economic integration has made banking operations in the UK more intertwined with those in Germany, France, Italy and other European states.Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Therefore, stock brokerage firms and banks in the UK are more susceptible to financial risks from other countries in Europe. For instance, the recent debt crisis which affected Greece, Portugal and Spain has had a negative impact on UK’s economy (Geddes 75). Some consumers in these countries have low incomes and this has caused a reduction in the volume of exports from UK to these countries. UK laws have been amended to comply with EU statutes which all member countries need to abide by. Some EU laws have been adopted as part of common laws observed in the country and they are enforced by all legal institutions. Some of the EU laws adopted in the country relate to human rights, free movement of labor and immigration. UK citizens are free to seek employment opportunities in other EU member states with fewer restrictions. Likewise, citizens of other EU member states are free to seek employment opportunities in the UK without any restrictions. Therefore, UK citizens have become more exposed to diverse cultures from other European states (Gowland , Turner and Wright 69). The EU has encouraged people from different countries in Europe to b uild positive relationships. The British political system is a constitutional monarchy which has been in existence for many centuries. Queen Elizabeth II is the head of state and the government is headed by the Prime Minister. The UK government is democratically elected by citizens who choose various political representatives to represent them in government. The country is a multi party state. The Conservative Party and the Labor Party are the two strongest political parties in the country. The two parties have produced the largest number of Prime Ministers and members of parliament in the last century. However, on several occasions, they have formed coalitions with smaller political parties to increase their parliamentary majority after general elections. The leader of the party which wins a majority number of parliamentay seats after elections have been conducted automatically assumes the position of Prime Minister (Mc Annula 56). There are several devolved government authorities in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland which deal with issues affecting their citizens. These three territories have their own legislative assemblies which are semi-autonomous. The legislative assemblies in these territories operate under parliamentary acts passed in the House of Commons. The House of Commons, is the overall UK parliament where 620 representatives from their respective constituencies sit and legislate various laws which are enforced throughout the country. The House of Lords reviews acts passed by The House of Commons and wields the power to veto some decisions made by members of parliament , if its members feel they are not good for the country. The judiciary in the UK follows different sets of laws which are practiced and observed in different territories (Coe and Jones 89). English common law is mainly observed and practiced in England and Wales while Scottish law is a set of unique laws practiced in Scotland.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The United Kingdom and the European Union specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More UK’s economy is mainly influenced by free market principles. Major sectors of the economy include agriculture, industrial and service sectors. The agricultural sector contributes less than 2 percent of the country’s GDP. However, it services more than 60 percent of local food demand in the country. Manufacturing industries contribute an estimated 22 percent of the country’s GDP. Automotive and aerospace components produced in the UK bring the country a lot of revenue every year. The service sector is the largest economic sector and accounts for more than 75 percent of UK’s GDP. The country’s financial system is one of the largest in the world; dominated by the London Stock Exchange, Bank of England and the London Metal Exchange. The country also benefits from high tourism revenues because it receives more than 20 million vi sitors every year (Giudice, Kuenzel and Springbett 112). These high tourist numbers are beneficial to the country’s economy. There are a lot of natural resources in the UK which are yet to be exploited fully. In the past, coal and iron ore were the most important minerals in the country because they were heavily utilized during the early years of the industrial revolution. Iron ore helps in the production of steel which is a crucial component in the manufacture of aerospace and vehicle parts (Giudice, Kuenzel and Springbett 116) . The UK ‘s economy faces various challenges because unemployment rates currently stand at an estimated 7 percent. Works Cited Burrell, Kathy. Polish Migration to the UK in the ‘New’ European Union: After 2004. Cornwall: TJ International, 2009. Print. Coe, Neil, and Andrew Jones. The Economic Geography of the UK. Thousand Oaks : Sage, 2010. Geddes, Andrew. Britain and the European Union. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013. Print. Giu dice, Gabriele, Robert Kuenzel, and Tom Springbett. UK Economy: The Crisis in Perspective. New York: Routledge, 2012. Print.Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Gowland , David , Arthur Turner, and Alex Wright. Britain and European Integration since 1945: On the Sidelines. New York: Routledge, 2010. Print. Mannin, Michael L. British Government and Politics: Balancing Europeanization and Independence. Plymouth: Rowman and Littlefield, 2010. Print. McAnnula, Stuart. British Politics: A Critical Introduction. London: Continuum International Publishing, 2006. Print. This essay on The United Kingdom and the European Union was written and submitted by user BenUrich to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Defeat Of Napoleon In Russia Essays - Military, Napoleonic Wars

The Defeat Of Napoleon In Russia Essays - Military, Napoleonic Wars The Defeat of Napoleon in Russia The Campaign of 1812 should have been a another crusade for Napoleon, but he now faced 2 new policies that he had never faced before, the severe Russian winter and the notorious scorched-earth policy. On June 23, 1812 Napoleon's Grande Armee, over 500,000 men strong, poured over the Russian border. An equal amount of Russian forces awaited them. The result of the campaign was a surprise. Two authors, General carl von Clausewitz and Brett James, show similarities in reasons why Napoleon had lost this campaign to Russia. Napoleon believed that after a few quick victorious battles, he could convince Alexander to return to the Continental System. He also decided that if he occupied Moscow, the Russian government would crumple and ask for peace. " A single blow delivered at the heart of the Russian Empire, at Moscow the Great, at Moscow the Holy, will ineztly put this whole blind, apathetic mass at my mercy." pg 6, 1812 Napoleon's Defeat in Russia. This was his belief he expressed in March 1812. However, when Napoleon eventually took over Moscow, the Tsar still did not surrender. Napoleon, sent a message to the Tsar, demanding a immediate surrender. However, the Tsar could not surrender because if he did, he would be assassinated by the nobles. Clausewitz replies by saying, " Napoleon was unable to grasp the fact that Alexander would not, could not negotiate. The Tsar knew well that he would be disposed and assassinated if he tried so." pg 256, The Campaign of 1812 in Russia. General Clausewitz said, "Napoleon believed if he defeated the Russian Army and occupied Moscow, the Russian leadership will fall apart and the government would call for peace." pg 253, The Campaign of 1812 in Russia Brett James also agreed that Napoleon's occupation had no result. " The occupation of Napoleon in Moscow did not have a effect on the government." pg 13, 1812 Napoleon's Defeat in Russia With his battle plan set, Napoleon prepared his troops for the attack on Russia. But, Napoleon did not consider the fierce Russian winter which awaited him. According to Ludwig Wilhelm Gottlob Schlosser, a onlooker, he described the army by saying, "The French, down to the lowliest drummer were very fastidious. These poor French devils were not satisfied with less than soup, meat and vegetables, roast, and salad for their midday meal, and there was no sign of their famous frugality. They were completely devoid of the coming winter." pg 13, 1812 Napoleon's Defeat in Russia Napoleon was even warned by General Rapp about the extremities of the oncoming winter in Russia. "The natives say we shall have a severe winter," Napoleon retorted scornfully, " Bah! You and your natives! We shall see how fine it is." pg 147, 1812 Napoleon's Defeat in Russia Napoleon should have heeded Rapp's words. As the Grand Armee marched toward Moscow, many horses and men were lost in the freezing snow, and for those who remained, their morale and effectiveness was at the nadir. General Clausewitz states his point by saying, " With more precaution and better regulations as to subsistence, with more careful consideration of his marches, which would have prevented the unnecessary and enormous accumulation of masses on one and the same road, he would have preserved his army in a more effective condition." pg 255, The Campaign of 1812 in Russia Brett James also shared the same opinion, " Napoleon appeared to have made no effort to discover the facts in Russia, or prepare his troops for it." pg 140, 1812 Napoleon's Defeat in Russia. As Napoleon and his army was making their way to Moscow, they encountered typhus, colds, and dysentery. Even the mighty Napoleon had caught a mild case of the flu. However, his soldiers had received the brunt of the attack. Captain Thomas- Joesph Aubry relives this ordeal, " After this the typhus made appalling inroads in our ranks. We were fourty-three officers in our ward. All of them died, one after the other, and delirious from this dreadful disease, most of them singing, some in Latin, others in German, others again in Italian - and singing psalms, canticles, or the mass." pg 210,