Dedicated to the Restoration of Progressive Democracy
Friday, February 08, 2019
If You Want to Understand Brexit, Think Ireland and the Rise of England.
It will take an hour of your time but, when you're done, Fintan O'Toole will help you understand why Brexit has so bedeviled Theresa May, the British House of Commons and the EU. It all comes down to one thing - Ireland.
Fascinating. Cameron sure made a mess. Personally, I never understood why Britain wanted into the EU at all. England and Ireland are islands. People who live on islands think differently about it than those who don't. Geography has a powerful influence. However once in it became self defeating to back out. Are they going to tear up the Chunnel?
This mess looks strangely familiar to the climate change dilemma. Politicians are more interested in scoring political points than in facing facts.
The British economy was built on the Empire. Looting the Colonies of labour, food, raw materials and requiring them to Buy British.
WWII changed all that. After decades of limping along, the British had two choices. Accept permanent poyerty, stagnation, food rationing and austerity, or reorient the British Economy to piggy back on the German Miracle. That required joining the ECC and as the ECC grew in members and complexity, that required the EU.
Fascinating. Cameron sure made a mess. Personally, I never understood why Britain wanted into the EU at all. England and Ireland are islands. People who live on islands think differently about it than those who don't. Geography has a powerful influence. However once in it became self defeating to back out. Are they going to tear up the Chunnel?
ReplyDeleteThis mess looks strangely familiar to the climate change dilemma. Politicians are more interested in scoring political points than in facing facts.
Mound, thanks for the post.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed it, Toby. I stumbled across it last night on YouTube and found it riveting.
Toby,
ReplyDeleteThe British economy was built on the Empire. Looting the Colonies of labour, food, raw materials and requiring them to Buy British.
WWII changed all that. After decades of limping along, the British had two choices. Accept permanent poyerty, stagnation, food rationing and austerity, or reorient the British Economy to piggy back on the German Miracle. That required joining the ECC and as the ECC grew in members and complexity, that required the EU.