This is a podcast from the archives of the BBC Reith Lectures.

This lecture in the series Europe Journey to an Unknown Destination given by Andrew

Seanfield was originally broadcast in 1972.

In this last lecture, I want to stand back and ask some questions about the long-term future of the European community.

First, the effect of Britain's entry.

I've tried to make it clear that this isn't to be thought of as just another important

incident in the life of the community.

It fundamentally changes its structure.

The fact that there will be three major powers in the community, France, Britain and Germany,

instead of just two, will, in my view, make a profound difference of the way in which the whole operation

is run in the future. This is because three is not just one more than two. A threesome is a

quite different kind of forum for negotiation and bargaining.

The ultimate threat of resignation by one of the members ceases to have the character of an absolute deterrent,

if it's clear, that the community could, in the last resort,

survive with just two out of the three.

But my characterisation of the community as a system dominated by three powers

begs a lot of questions. For example, by what principle is Italy, excluded from the big power

group, in spite of the fact that in terms of population, resources and so on, it might be

reckoned to belong in the same class as the other three.

The answer that I'd give is that it's largely because Italy perceives itself as a small power.

Italian governments behave consistently in a recognizable style,

a style which reflects a lack of confidence in their ability to take any serious

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