A Brexit Illusion

On the eve of a significant change in our world’s history, it is time to look back at the event.

Despite having only half of their countrymen in favor of leaving the union, political leaders dedicated themselves to promoting and executing a divorce from the larger government. Some of these leaders were largely unpopular with their constituents and their peers. Some had businesses which would suffer greatly from the decision. Their constituents suffered as well. Propagandists on both sides were strident. Death threats were made. There was little empathy given by the rest of the world for their cause.

Yet the status quo was unbearable to these rebels. They resented monies being taken and distributed across the sea in distant lands with which they shared little in common. They feared the unchecked immigration of foreigners who did not speak English and had no appreciation for the traditions which had made the country successful. Most of all, the longing for self-determination was strong among the population. So, they persevered on this risky course of action.

Had the country known the misery that would result from the decision to leave, would they have begun the process? Such events never finish within the timeframe anticipated or without severe consequences to those involved. Certainly, that was the case here as months stretched on to years. Their initial exuberance was replaced with doubt and fear as excitement waned and was slowly replaced by apathy in both camps...those that wished to leave and those that wished to remain.

In the end, this tumultuous event occurred. By the way, the event detailed above was the American Revolution...not Brexit. You may wish to read the preceding paragraphs again. This revolution resulted in the most successful political experiment in history, the United States of America. That experiment continues to this day. Like the American Revolution, Brexit must be judged in the short and long term… over years, decades and centuries.

As one British (and later American) citizen wrote, “When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.” The United Kingdom has declared those causes and is peacefully dissolving political bands with the European Union. We wish both entities good fortune.