The Foreign Policy Conditions affecting Economic Relations between the Smaller European States

The strong influence of the United States and the Soviet Union as great powers on the foreign policy of all the European states is obvious. Since the end of the Second World War, the political objectives of these two great powers have had a decisive influence on the conduct of the smaller European countries allied with them, as well as on the conduct of neutral countries. The ideologically based political antagonism between the two great powers also led to political antagonisms between the European countries — whether they desired it or not, they were part of the conflict between the great powers. However, the Europeans did not identify with the great powers in every respect. As their own power increased over time or the political dominance of the respective hegemonical power was weakened in individual cases, the desire or the necessity for European co-operation that transcended systems and alliances proved to be strong. Additionally, intersystemary relations in Europe slowly, but clearly, became more intense. This must not lead to the acceptance of the myth of Europe: the idealisation of European history as a history based on a community of interests is overstated. The concept of European unification does have some basis in reality, but it is much more limited than what the ideal aims at achieving.