Are the British European?

Question

Are the British European? According to some Britts, they are not, but I always understood they are. Can anyone prove to me with sources as to whether Britts are or are not European? Best credible answer gets full points.

Answer 1

It's a difficult one to answer. The fact that we are part of the continent called Europa despite being an island would automatically put us in the realm of being European.

However, we hit a snag when it comes to an actual attitude of being European for unlike most countries on the mainland,Britain is something of a mongrel nation made up over the centuries of people from various parts of that mainland (e.g Picts,Celts, Jutes, Angles,Saxons,Scandiavians,Normans) and this first "melting pot" has created a certain sense of proud individuality and seperation from the other nations in Europe. Even when one particular group have been those in power in Britain it has not lasted long enough to have them connecting in any great way with the mainland. For example, technically the last "English" monarch was Richard III (1483-85) replaced by the Welsh,then the Scots,then the Dutch and finally the Germans.

Also our land has been invasion free since 1066 and on a number of occasions have soundly defeated those from the mainland who wished to change that. Combine that with the largest Empire the world has ever seen having arisen from this tiny island, our sense of belonging to a continent, regardless of it's name, is pretty much non-existent.

Answer 2

no, they're Chinese

Answer 3

Politically we are a part of Europe, through the European Union.  At the moment that Union still allows Britain a measure of sovereignty but there are moves afoot to form a 'United States of Europe' where the member countries would become federal states.  All citizens of EU countries carry the same style passport although the crest on the front will vary from country to country.

Geographically the British Isles are part of Europe as they are on the same continental shelf.

Ethnically we share a large common gene pool with most (especially northern) European countries.

Culterally we fall somewhere between American and continental European habits.

When you say 'Europe' most British people think of the political union rather than the geographic continent which is why you'll always get a lot of answers saying 'not European' whenever you ask a question like this.

Answer 4

Geographically we are part of the European Continent, but in our nature we are islanders and a great deal of us resent anything European, including being part of the EU...which was the Common Market when we were taken into it without a referendum, and which has since become the monster that is now the EU...and we are still being denied a referendum.

I will never consider myself European.

Answer 5

The land mass known as Britain is joined to that of Europe, so geologically speaking, we are most certainly a part.  At present, the land that joins us is under the English Channel due to sea levels rising.  Approximately 8,000 years ago, before this rise occurred, Brits were able to walk to what we now call France and vice versa.  We were literally one land.

To go back in time much further, it was actually England and Wales that were joined to Europe.  Millions of years ago, Scotland, which now of course forms a part of Britain, was joined to North America.  At some point it broke off and floated away from America, and eventually 'crashed' into England and Wales.  When this happened, a mountain range was formed that is still there today.

Answer 6

England as a nation is considered to be a member of the continent of Europe, and is a member of the European Union.

England's lack of a geographical connection to Europe means that the link is somewhat tenuous; it's proximity, however, as well as shared cultural/historical background mean that it is appropriate to consider the nation itself as part of Europe.

As to whether or not the Brits exhibit European 'qualities' is another question.

Answer 7

Yes.  Britain is part of Europe.  It IS an island, but then, so are Ireland, Iceland, Greenland, and Malta, all part of Europe.

Just like the Isle of Wight is part of Britain.

It is also part of the European Union, which means they should start identifying with that fact, don't you think?

Answer 8

There is nothing to prove.  We are an Island - end of argument.  The only way we are European is because we are in the EU.

Answer 9

uh yes.. they live in europe dont they

Answer 10

Geographically, yes.  Politically, at times, yes; at times, no.