Assess the Significance of Castlereagh and Canning in Changing the Emphasis of British Foreign Policy Between 1814 and 1827

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Assess the significance of Castlereagh and Canning in changing the emphasis of British Foreign Policy between 1814 and 1827 (25 marks) During the years 1814 to 1827 there was an undeniable change of emphasis in British Foreign Policy. It can be argued that some foreign policies are a continuation of ideas between Castlereagh and Canning, such as the need to maintain Britain’s great power status. However, there is arguably an even more significant change in emphasis between the foreign ministers, most importantly, their opposing approaches towards a Congress System. It is important to take into consideration the context in which each of these Foreign Ministers was in office. Castlereagh came to office in 1812, in the midst of the Napoleonic Wars, which was a time when Europe as a whole was in disarray after copious years of revolution and war. After coming into office in 1812, Castlereagh took a leading role in gathering the Great Powers together. The outcome of this was the signing of the Treaty of Chaumont in 1814 by the Great Powers of Europe. This treaty successfully created a general European settlement that was previously just an unstable alliance. This was evidently a great success as shortly after Napoleon was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. This defeat, and the ending of continuous years of war, undoubtedly formed the basis of Castlereagh’s policies as his time as Foreign Minister. Castlereagh foreign policy was geared towards sustaining peace that Europe had not experienced in quite some time. Because of this, his foreign policy was largely centred on trying to appease and creating allies and alliances to ensure greater stability in Europe. Unlike Castlereagh, Canning came to office as Foreign Minister in 1822 to 1827 and was largely able to experience the stability of peacetime among Europe. This evidently changed the emphasis of Canning’s
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