Splendid isolation

Splendid isolation ( literally translated: " wonderful Isolation" ) is the realization and use of geographic insularity of the United Kingdom in its foreign policy in the late 19th century until the outbreak of World War I with the main objective of the maintenance of the European balance of power. It refers in particular to the times under the two prime ministers Benjamin Disraeli and Robert Cecil, Marquess of Salisbury, who used the term first.

Characteristic of the splendid isolation was an extreme reluctance to participation in permanent alliances or other obligations to other world powers with the simultaneous expansion of overseas colonies, protectorates and dependent territories. It has been for centuries practically unbreakable and also tried to interfere as little as possible on the mainland, or if, then as a parent referee. In addition, the United Kingdom wanted to defend its colonies, as the country much lived by trade. Especially the sea route to India was important.

The splendid isolation was ended by the Anglo - Japanese Alliance in 1902 and in particular the Entente Cordiale with France in 1904. The initially designed only to clarify points of contention colonial alliance with France formed the basis for the alliance system of the Triple Entente, which was created in 1907 between the United Kingdom, France and Russia.

The British newspaper The Guardian attacked the notion of splendid isolation on in an article about the Nichtbeitreten the United Kingdom to the planned European fiscal union on December 9, 2011.