Last Wednesday’s (2016-06-29) Globe and Mail’s opinion page (A11) main article was authored by Jeffrey Simpson, one of the editors I think. He opined about the ‘Little Englanders’ who had made such a dim witted choice, which the author at the end of his denigrations, likened to committing suicide. Long on opinion and disapproval as the article was, it was equally short on insights that might lead to some understanding of this unexpected outcome of the Brexit referendum.
'We kicked around the working class. With Brexit, they’re finally kicking back'
A more helpful and perceptive is the article titled “We kicked around the working class. With Brexit, they’re finally kicking back” authored by Louis-Philippe Rochon on page B4, the business section of the Globe.
Rochon makes the case that a large part of the population has been by passed by economic rule changes and political developments that benefited the rule makers and their backers. He also points out that the sentiments that fuelled the Brexit vote are not limited to just the UK, but are shared across the European Union as a whole.
Neither author points out that the threat to National member state identity combined with the loss of economic security. People in the various countries of the EU want to safeguard their national identities and values. This means that we are talking about a double threat to the average citizen, most of whom are now diminished economically due to the wealth gap.
This group of average citizens has increased in size, becoming louder as the middle class diminished in size and influence. This way the ‘upper-class’ has outsmarted itself in eliminating the buffer that the middle class has formed in the past century.
This way the ‘upper-class’ has outsmarted itself in eliminating the buffer that the middle class has formed in the past century.
The EU leaders want a quick resolve of the present uncertainty and return to the ‘normal’ from before the Brexit vote result. I do not see such a quick reset as desirable, nor as likely. The average citizen is too far removed from the EU integration process, because the elections to the EU-parliament are indirect via the National parliaments of the member states. As a result the person in the street feels that it is up to their national governments to look out for their interests.
An instance of this non-involvement I experienced when I spent the years from 1999 to 2003 in my old country The Netherlands. At the time I was struck by how little my own family was involved with and informed about the EU goings-on. For example, the large EU expansion that was about to take place in 2003/4 was a non issue and the candidate member states unknown and ‘far from my bed‘ as it was put.
I do not think a quick reset will address such problems. What is needed is a process that gets the average National citizen involved as a Union citizen.
I do not think a quick reset will address such problems. What is needed is a process that gets the average National citizen involved as a Union citizen. This can be accomplished by having direct elections for the European parliament Union wide simultaneously in all National member sates. This will also mean Union wide political parties that cross the national borders to address the Union wide issues. These are Union border control, Union security, safeguarding of National identities (education), local influence over population flow, Union foreign affairs and a clear division and definition of the National versus Union legislative powers.
Involvement is the secret word as I see that, having observed Canadian politics at the Federal - think EU Union - and Provincial - think National member state - levels since 1959.
Most important, the average citizen must have direct participation and influence on the Union wide processes, just as this always has been the case at the National levels for most member states, since around 1850.
There also has be put in place a much better communication process that informs people about the Union wide events, issues and interests. Involvement is the secret word as I see that, having observed Canadian politics at the Federal - think EU Union - and Provincial - think National member state - levels since 1959.
This is the end of my EU-Brexit remedy punditry:-)!
<9:43am~