Testing the Strength of the Special Relationship: Policy Pressure Between the United States and the United Kingdom

The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom. I will argue that British domestic and foreign policies have been shaped in certain areas by the existence and durability of its special relationship with the United States. First, I will provide a historical background detailing the Anglo-American relationship, and then continue with a comparative literature review based on the themes of international cooperation. The paper will describe the theory of expected utility for both countries as a source of noncompliance, and examine two case studies that highlight the existence of pressure placed upon British government and its interests by the United States in the postwar period, specifically within the themes of decolonization and military action. In doing so, the paper will support the argument that British domestic and foreign policies have been shaped in certain areas by the existence and durability of its special relationship with the United States.