How Brexit Snuck Up On Everyone

SOURCES AND FURTHER READING:

Robert Ford and Matthew Goodwin, "Revolt on the Right: Explainting Support for the Radical Right in Britain" 2013

Richard Seymour, "UKIP and the Crisis of Britain" Monthly Review Press, NYU Press. (2015)

David Denver, Justin Fisher, Philip Cowley, "British Elections & Parties Review: the 1997 general election" (pg. 98)

The Bruges Group Website:

[zsht]

Funny how whenever an informed, neutral observation is put forward, Brexiters say it is biassed.

[niller]

I'm not British, and can appreciate both sides of the argument, but one thing that gets me when Americans comment on the issue is the idea that not wanting Arab immigration to one's country necessarily stems from racism. By virtue of being on the other side of the Atlantic, the Arabs immigrating to the US will largely be educated and wealthy enough to cover the costs of travel and starting a life in a far away country with little social security. By comparison access to Europe is easy due to the geography and a sprawling system of people smugglers, and since the welfare systems are obligated to take care of you it is possible for even an illiterate vagrant to move here and increase his standard of living significantly by sitting on his ass. Should the state not take care of vagrants? Of course, but its ability to do so is predicated upon the vast majority of men and women working and doing their part to prop up the country. This becomes important when you take a look at the statistics and see that both Arab immigrants and their descendents lead heavily in unemployment, social security fraud and practically every other form of crime. There absolutely are exceptions, but these are a minority and represent the people who choose to assimilate into the culture of their adopted home countries. The ones that cause the problems, and the ones that people don't want more of, are the people who segregate themselves in enclaves, make public transport unsafe and are fast eroding the social welfare systems that we have spend hundreds of years fighting for.
Imagine for a second uneducated, gun-happy and religiously conservative hillbillies from the US started flooding into Canada and demanding that the country respect and adapt to their way of life. Do you imagine that they would be thrilled?

[ImVeryOriginal]

While I think Brexit was not a smart move, you've ommited an important motivation for the Leave vote: the EU's increasingly opaque and undermocratic decisionmaking process and poor cooperation between its member states.

Examples are plenty: throwing the people of Greece under the bus for the mistakes of their leaders, the secret TTIP negotiations, which have not been put under any real social debate, or the migrant crisis, made worse by Germany deciding it doesn't want to follow the established rules (which could also use an overhaul) and instead inviting masses of refugees without a real system to receive them in place, causing trouble for themselves and transitional countries.

I see Brexit as a signal that the EU needs to reform itself to become more democratic and cooperative or start crumbling. The Brexiters' anger is partially justified, but in my mind dismantling Europe instead of reforming it will lead to its marginalization in global politics in favor of Russia and China.

[jordandavies]

Nerdwriter is not biased simply because he is reporting on truths that some of you may not want to hear. Not once did he say that leaving the EU was a mistake or a bad decision, only that the reason many people left was due to far right political parties (UKIP) utilizing fear and euroskeptisism to sway the older more conservative generation (also the greatest voter turnout group compared to young people) into voting to leave.

[Osk]

Hmm, slightly biased but not too bad considering you're so far away

[basscataz]

Centralized power OUGHT to be left behind.

[Voltanaut]

Brexit is proof that at least 52% of my fellow countrymen and women have sense and balls.

[OwenLikesComics]

Great video, Evan. As both a Brit and someone who studies Political History, it's clear that we have had a very uncomfortable relationship with Europe post-WW2. Dating back to the 1950s, when the European Community was set up, we rejected an invitation to join the Common Market, instead believing we could rely on our Empire/Commonwealth, and our alliance with the USA.

The Euro-scepticism in the UK often occurs most when there's social tensions within the country. There is a sense of anti-immigration, both in the sense of a fear of influx of EU citizens into the country, and also hostility towards migrants in areas of the country. And while UKIP is the key to understanding this in the context of modern Britain, this idea dates back to the 1950 and 60s, with the Notting Hill race riots of 1958, and the famous 'Rivers of Blood' speech by politician Enoch Powell in 1968 (a speech that opposed anti-discrimination laws and the influx of migrants from the Commonwealth nations). And the scary part is that many of the arguments stated by Powell are still being discussed today. In fact, in an interview with Sky News, Nigel Farage stated that he agrees with the "basic principles" of Powell's infamous speech.

[suddenwall]

"72% of the population" I think it was 72% of the electorate, not the total population of the UK.

[SLEPR]

All the political maneuvering aside, I really can't find fault with the UK leaving the EU. It sounds like a useless system of bureaucrats. They probably shouldn't focus so much on xenophobia and globalization as the causes of the frustration, but as an American I certainly wouldn't want something like an American Union that I also have to pay taxes to along with the Federal Government.

[snowtrooper]

That drone footage was of Ghent, not Bruges ;)

[muhilan]

Actually fear was being used by the remain side.

[DeepDuh]

I never knew that 'federalism' is used for this meaning in English. In German it's exactly the opposite - 'federalism' stands for decentralized government.

[familyaccount]

Correct me if i'm wrong, but saying there were 66% of people in the U.K. showing some form of negative view towards the EU back in 1997 is false. Reason: it assumes that the 14% that wanted to leave the EU were exclusive to the 52% that wanted to reduce it's power. That is incorrect, no? You can't add these percentages up.

[PauLtus_B]

Party led by a billionaire. Now that's something _I'm_ immediately skeptic of.

[storytellers]

The Nerdwriter always does a great job at not taking positions in his video's about politics, sexism and offensive jokes etc. Of course this is really difficult with subjects like this and a slight bias is acceptable. A great video nonetheless.

[KingOfClay]

How does one rationally support an unelected and unaccountable group of bureaucrats who overrule the laws of sovereign countries and deny populations the right to make their own laws/policies and govern themselves? Seriously! Someone give me one freaking argument! Or tell me why Greece is so much better today with 50% youth unemployment and austerity than Greece having their own currency and the ability to regulate their own economy.

Thank God that enough old people who remember fighting tyranny in the past are still around to save the majority of younger people from themselves! I don't always support the views of the older generation, but they certainly know the difference between freedom and tyranny when it smacks them in the face.

[WasMrUB]

If anything, fear was the argument for staying in the EU.

[poop-for-brains]

Thank you for the reminder of how awful Thatcher was.

[lolwechig]

Some philosophic topics would be great for future videos.