Brexit: When ignorance is not bliss

Lamia Mohsin | Published: July 04, 2016 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

In the era of pervasive globalisation, it would be extremely foolish to simply declare that the geopolitical affairs of another nation should not, or will not have any impact whatsoever on others, let alone concern us. History gave us an acrid taste of just how closely knit the global economy is, when countries all around the world collectively endured the brunt of the 2007 American recession. Widely deemed as a utopian principle, autarchy or isolationism has failed quite predictably, with North Korea and Cuba's supposed 'egalitarian' or socialist economies bearing the telltale signs of dysfunctional governance and growth policies
Â As clusters of nations become increasingly dependent on one another, not just because they have a comparative advantage in terms of trade, but share similar concerns over national security, counter-terrorism and warfare, 'delinking' is not at all a plausible remedy and would simply tantamount to burying one's head in the sand like a giant ostrich in denial.
'What happens in the West, does NOT remain in the West,' a statement which imposes itself very strongly, in the light of Britain's latest blunder, an event that has garnered magnanimous coverage all around the globe. The referendum's verdict is not just a reflection of what British citizens demand; rather its implications will undoubtedly shape the lives of millions of immigrants, especially those of the Asian diasporas.
Â Britain's decision to leave the European Union sent shockwaves across the world, once a dominant economic and political alliance whose origins can be traced back to the volatile hiatus, Post World War II, when leading European nations recovering from the casualties joined hands in aÂ pledge to purge racism and promote harmony, for the greater good. Quite perplexingly, the central argument pushing forward the 'Leave EU' movement revolves round the immigrant issue, as EU membership ratifies the free movement of labour to and from Britain to other European nations. It seems that the British are no longer comfortable with their multicultural identity, as Brexit supporters ride on the wave of staunch nationalism. If the decision to depart from EU is indeed based on xenophobic foundations, harrowing incidents like attacks on the Polish Social and Cultural Association can be explicitly imputed to an alarming escalation of racial abuse in public.
As far as economic ramifications are considered, plunging stock markets and the depressing depreciation of the pound are just the tip of the iceberg. Widespread confusion among voters about the exact consequence of voting to leave, was manifested by a record number of searches for 'What happens if we leave EU' andÂ even more bafflingly 'What is EU' on Google, an aspect which places substantial doubts on the level of awareness or concern of the British themselves. Whether or not the British are writing the charter of their own doom, only time will tell. Â
Political analysts are drawing parallels between the Brexit and Donald Trump's presidential campaign in the United States. As mentioned earlier, The 'Brexiters' have emphasised on the lax immigration law of EU, which accordingly led to the influx of Eastern European immigrants entering British soil. Trump's 'Make America Great Again' campaign has made open declarations of building a wall on the US-Mexican border to 'protect' American sovereignty. His plans to reinstate America's 'greatness' advocates crackdowns on immigrants, especially Muslims and Hispanics. Trump's vitriolic browbeat may not necessarily be the voice of Britain, but who knows what the future lies in store? Â
Some British citizens did not quite comprehend what hit them, when the results of the referendum were announced. Reports suggest that a major proportion of Brits are now vouching for a second referendum, an opportunity to reconsider their decisions. Right now, EU laws are still legally binding on Britain, and the Brits still have the privilege to call themselves EU citizens. But for how long?
Is it too late to make up for their whimsicality?
Maybe. Maybe not.
The writer is a 2nd year BSS (Hons) student of Department of Development Studies, University of Dhaka.
Â lamiamohsin95@yahoo.com