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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe bright side of Brexit: Leaving the European Union could create a more just Britain
The bright side of Brexit: Leaving the European Union could create a more just Britain
GEORGE LAKEY, WAGING NONVIOLENCE, Salon
http://www.salon.com/2016/07/13/the_bright_side_of_brexit_leaving_the_european_union_could_create_a_more_just_britain_partner/
"SNIP...............
I know British voters who likewise want the chance for a foreign policy more peaceful than the European Unions. When their peace campaigns bear fruit, they want Britain to be free to implement fresh policies rather than toe the line of the European Union (or, of course, the line of a militarist United States).
Just as important, Brits who have suffered from the post-2008 austerity program of massive cutbacks in health, education and other needs have an excellent reason to want freedom from the E.U.s rule by the 1 percent. Their fight is with Britains own economic elite, and when they start winning again as they did in the first half of the 20th century they likewise want the freedom Norwegians have to implement social democracy.
For my book, I checked the international ratings that compare countries by measures of well-being like equality, poverty-prevention, health care, parental leave, elder care, individual freedom, etc. Typically, the ratings put the Nordic countries at the top. In the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development list of the richest countries in the world, the United States is typically at or near the bottom of the ratings, and the United Kingdom somewhere in the middle. Within living memory of older people, the United Kingdom placed higher. Their struggles had achieved more equality and shared prosperity. But the longer they stayed in the European Union, the farther down in the ratings they went.
In the light of that track record for E.U. membership, who can say it was irrational to vote for Brexit? And who can fail to notice that so much of the working class, which has fared the worst in this downward trend, rejected the advice of its Labor Party leadership and voted to get out?
.................SNIP"
JanMichael
(24,890 posts)I myself am very far to the old Left but am not so sure about their hopefulness.
I hope I am wrong though.
applegrove
(118,696 posts)mitigate against the worst excesses of unregulated banking.
840high
(17,196 posts)Albertoo
(2,016 posts)English voters vote Conservative. Brexit will cause Scotland (which votes Progressive) to secede. The Conservative majority in England will be reinforced.
Since Brexit will hurt business (major companies have already declared they will shift jobs to the continent), the pro business governement's answer will be to lower taxes (it has already announced plans to do so). AND the English Brexiters want to cut immigration.
Summary: Brexit will inevitably lead to a more capitalist, less egalitarian England.
applegrove
(118,696 posts)British. So that is already a change in a positive direction.
muriel_volestrangler
(101,322 posts)Boris Johnson appointed UK foreign secretary by new PM
http://www.democraticunderground.com/108811369 : OMG! - we are going to be a laughing stock abroad!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028008417 : Disgraced MP with close links to ALEC appointed as UK International Trade Secretary
auntpurl
(4,311 posts)They say a lot of things.
BooScout
(10,406 posts)Politicians do that.
Albertoo
(2,016 posts)pampango
(24,692 posts)What did you expect her to say? There is a reason that Brirosh unions and liberals largely opposed Brexit. It was not because they thought Brexit would be good for their 99%.
tblue37
(65,409 posts)FSogol
(45,491 posts)Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)That the vast majority of people who voted to leave did it because they thought it would kick the immigrants and non-whites out....
Albertoo
(2,016 posts)A question which was not really yes or no,
but yes vs an array of conflicting, often poorly informed, noes