Brexit, a new term seemingly coined overnight on CNN and the BBC. A political reality of Britain leaving the European Union that seems to shock most American unfamiliar with international politics.
However, Brexit really isn't and shouldn't be a surprise. Historically, Britain has viewed itself distinct from mainland Europe and has served as the successful counterweight to the main European continental power from the Spanish Empire to a united Germany in the world wars of the twentieth century. The United Kingdom for the first time in its political history is directly involved and part of the 21st century is represented by the European Union.
"We are British not European"
The island nation of Britain has never seen itself as being a distinctive and fully-integrated part of the larger European society. There is a very strong stigma is the British mentality that the British people are separate and distinct from the "mainland". I have never met anyone from England who has told me they are "European" like individuals I have met from France, Germany and Belgium. Rather every time I have met someone from the United Kingdom I almost always get a resounding answer of, "I am British!"
Britain’s historical record suggests that it will attempt to be an active counterbalance to the growing powerhouse of the European continent. In this case that powerhouse would be the European Union led by France and Germany. This historical perspective combined with the implications of the recent Brexit referendum applied to Britain and the continental powers strongly supports a thesis that Britain naturally would have left leave the European Union. The state of Britain will resume its historical spot as separate from the continent of Europe and will attempt to serve as an economic counterbalance to the Euro-zone lead by France and Germany.
New Economic Realities
Economically Britain is not too badly off despite exiting the free-trade zone established by the European Union. Britain favors the promotion of a single free market space under the EU which promotes trade in Europe but maintains sovereignty. The political goals of France and Germany, and Britain are drastically different in their desired outcomes. Britain wants to focus on and preserve individual state autonomy while the continental powers want to focus on a unification process which promotes solidarity and community security.
France and Germany seek policies that have the ultimate aim of bringing about the federalization of the European Union, decreasing individual state sovereignty. Britain stands in staunch opposition to this policy model and has since the 1980s under Margaret Thatcher. This policy model would favor the Euro-Zone economic model which Britain did not become a part of, Britain instead had opted to retain its own currency the pound. Britain is not nearly as closely tied economically to the success of the European free market as France and Germany are, Britain has the ability to use currency separation and historical Commonwealth trading ties as a system of potential economic reprieve.
Britain’s actions of refusing to enter the Euro-zone, pushing for a free market system, and now the vote for a national referendum to withdraw from EU membership, are Britain’s attempts to make itself more economically secure and place it relatively higher on the economic scale compared to its continental rivals.
