Description
This paper argues that the 1974-79 Labour governments’ policy towards the Pinochet regime in Chile was an early example of a British ‘ethical’ foreign policy and was a key step towards integrating human rights concerns into British foreign policy-making in subsequent years. Using archival evidence, it demonstrates that Foreign Office officials were critical of human rights campaigners and Labour ministers who advocated ‘ethical’ action against the Pinochet dictatorship. Taking a critical approach to the study of foreign policy, it considers the links between government and the private sector, and analyses the social background of Foreign Office officials and British diplomats in this period. By comparing the implementation of guidelines for the approval of arms export licences for Chile and Argentina, it demonstrates that policy-makers’ perceptions of external pressure and public scrutiny are key to their efficacy.
