GREAT-BRITAIN AND THE EUROPEAN-COMMUNITY

Adaptation by the British governmental elite to membership in the European Community has been slow and has been hampered by domestic political constraints. This article examines the problems of adaptation under the Thatcher and Major governments. The political sovereignty dimension, the U.K. budget contribution, British public opinion, and EC farm policy were central issues that London was to bring to the front burner of Community activity. The overriding problem of Maastricht in recent years has divided both the populace and the elites.