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Article: Its so painful when you're a superpower.
- Article from:
- The Mail on Sunday (London, England)
- Article date:
- January 28, 2001
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Solo Syndication Limited. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: DAN ATKINSON
MARCH 13, 2000, was indeed a day to remember. The news had broken about noon.
For the first time in 33 years, Britain boasted the world's fourth-largest economy. Adieu, France. Ciao, Italy. For you, the export drive is over.
Church bells rang, strangers hugged in the street. Well, not quite.
Unlike the Italians, who practically took a national holiday in 1986 when their economy overtook ours, the phlegmatic British largely managed to ignore their nation's rebirth as an economic superpower. Sensibly, as it turned out.
For hardly had Britain's Big Four membership card been renewed than life in the new ...