I do not pretend to be a historian or an economist; you don't have to be one or the other, however, to have a good idea about the Brexit debacle. All you need to have is some understanding of history, some understanding of economics and a lot of insight into the human condition. Perhaps it is hubris that I consider myself to be a junior member of the latter category; it seems clear to me, nevertheless, as it seems clear to many, just why the majority of the British voted the way they did.
If an American would like to get a good idea of the type of people who voted for Brexit, all he or she would need to do is go to a Trump rally. The latter's constituents are largely composed of angry, undereducated whites who have been left behind by globalization. Proof of this is that the strongest support for Brexit came from the (former) industrialized areas of northern England. The working-class whites did just fine--or at least much better than now--in the (for them) halcyon days of the 1950s--just as American working class whites prospered during the same period.
Two paradigm changes turned their world upside-down. I call one external globalization; I call the other internal globalization.
Prior to the rise of international competition. the function of most Third World countries was to supply raw materials to the West. This could not last forever. It is obvious to anyone who isn't blinded by vanity that there is an equal distribution of intelligence among the nations of the world, completely independent of race. (And, of course, independent of gender as well.)
With the increase of international communication, it did not take the Third World long to rise from its sleep. "Well, we can do that, too," business leaders, political leaders, and soon the people from Brazil to China proclaimed. And indeed they could. Since they began at a much lower level of prosperity, labor was cheap. Factories in Birmingham and in cities across America began to disappear like snow on the ground after a flurry in spring.
The new brand of international businessmen, as you already know, prospered.
Nationalism and racism played a big part in the Brexit outcome, just as it does with Trump supporters. A British comment sums this up well:
Racism was always key to the British feelings of superiority that lay behind this campaign,just as it is to the American equivalent championed by Trump.
-- British comment quoted in the New York Times
The less educated are generally less analytical. They rely more on gut reactions. The irresponsible British tabloids as well as U.S. equivalents such as Fox News, have been shameless in their promotion of xenophobia and blind nationalism. Without them, neither Farage or Trump would have been able to get as far as they have. (Will Trumpeters in Texas try to secede next? Will Brexit inspire a Texit?)
During their heyday, working-class whites didn't lose any sleep over the conditions of minorities, not to mention the difficult living conditions of people in the Third World.
My message to working-class whites: globalization is not going away. Get rid of racism and feelings of national superiority. Blind rage will only increase blood pressure and make matters worse.
I listened to comments from several more prosperous and more diverse Brits who were quite angry, if not raging, at those older, poorer whites, who, by the way, look just like me, agewise and otherwise. (It is well known that young people, and nearly all business leaders and pundits of Britain did not want to brexit. )
I loved what Bernie Sanders said about Trump supporters. He said they have a right to be angry. They have indeed been treated unfairly. They are, however, angry for the wrong reasons. Many liberals simply blame these poor white guys for their precipitous decline, who, I must admit, sometimes, well, often, behave badly.
My message to the white working class: globalization is not going to go away.
What I term "internal globalization" is the progress that minorities have made, and, regarding the angry whites, the majority of whom, I think, are males, the progress women have made as well. One's fellow citizens who are black are not going to say, 'Well, we're better educated now. Been there, done that--now let's give all the power back to the whites." Similarly, fellow citizens who are women are not going to say, "Well, we're better educated now as well. Been there, done that--now let's go back to the kitchen!" Not going to happen.
The real reason Brexit succeeded is due to the inequality of British society. The reason why a demagogue like Trump is (I hate to say it!) got the Republican nomination for the U.S. presidency, is due to income inequality in the United States--which is bad enough in Britain, but even worse in the United States.
Compounding the problem is innovation. There is still a lot of industry in the United States as well as in Great Britain--but it is increasingly automated. The jobs aren't there.
Another problem is that the young and educated, who are doing fine, ignore the older and less educated, just as the working class whites in their days of prosperity ignored minorites.
Those raging whites, who are voting for those who advocate horrible policies, are not cogs in globalization's machine: they are worthy human beings, just like everyone else.
What are we to do? THOSE THAT HAVE MUST SHARE! I'm not advocating for complete equality, for talents differ. (Demanding complete equality is like trying to strictly practice "Turn the other cheek" --We'd all be cheekless pretty damn quick.) Innovators deserve more money, I have no problem with that. But they must never forget that innovation, which is great for them, has not been so great for everyone else.
Everyone deserves a living wage! Everyone deserves adequate housing--(not a mansion)! Everyone deserves to live in a safe neighborhood! Education must be widely available and affordable!
I dislike nationalism--look what it did to Europe! And I abhor racism--most whites have no idea of the ongoing suffering, the oppression of talent and the deflection of happiness that racism causes. You, therefore, have a good idea of how I would have voted in Britain or how I will vote in the U.S. presidential election later this year.
The world has changed. Whether one liked the 1950s or not, those times are not coming back. We need to adjust and to act.
Members of the white working class, nay, members of all those who have faced misfortune due to globalization: turn off your TVs and do everything you can to replace our selfish, narrow-minded, egotistical leaders with those who treat everyone like the astoundingly unique entities we are--human beings!
I would love to be even cautiously optimistic.
If an American would like to get a good idea of the type of people who voted for Brexit, all he or she would need to do is go to a Trump rally. The latter's constituents are largely composed of angry, undereducated whites who have been left behind by globalization. Proof of this is that the strongest support for Brexit came from the (former) industrialized areas of northern England. The working-class whites did just fine--or at least much better than now--in the (for them) halcyon days of the 1950s--just as American working class whites prospered during the same period.
Two paradigm changes turned their world upside-down. I call one external globalization; I call the other internal globalization.
Prior to the rise of international competition. the function of most Third World countries was to supply raw materials to the West. This could not last forever. It is obvious to anyone who isn't blinded by vanity that there is an equal distribution of intelligence among the nations of the world, completely independent of race. (And, of course, independent of gender as well.)
With the increase of international communication, it did not take the Third World long to rise from its sleep. "Well, we can do that, too," business leaders, political leaders, and soon the people from Brazil to China proclaimed. And indeed they could. Since they began at a much lower level of prosperity, labor was cheap. Factories in Birmingham and in cities across America began to disappear like snow on the ground after a flurry in spring.
The new brand of international businessmen, as you already know, prospered.
Nationalism and racism played a big part in the Brexit outcome, just as it does with Trump supporters. A British comment sums this up well:
Racism was always key to the British feelings of superiority that lay behind this campaign,just as it is to the American equivalent championed by Trump.
-- British comment quoted in the New York Times
The less educated are generally less analytical. They rely more on gut reactions. The irresponsible British tabloids as well as U.S. equivalents such as Fox News, have been shameless in their promotion of xenophobia and blind nationalism. Without them, neither Farage or Trump would have been able to get as far as they have. (Will Trumpeters in Texas try to secede next? Will Brexit inspire a Texit?)
During their heyday, working-class whites didn't lose any sleep over the conditions of minorities, not to mention the difficult living conditions of people in the Third World.
My message to working-class whites: globalization is not going away. Get rid of racism and feelings of national superiority. Blind rage will only increase blood pressure and make matters worse.
I listened to comments from several more prosperous and more diverse Brits who were quite angry, if not raging, at those older, poorer whites, who, by the way, look just like me, agewise and otherwise. (It is well known that young people, and nearly all business leaders and pundits of Britain did not want to brexit. )
I loved what Bernie Sanders said about Trump supporters. He said they have a right to be angry. They have indeed been treated unfairly. They are, however, angry for the wrong reasons. Many liberals simply blame these poor white guys for their precipitous decline, who, I must admit, sometimes, well, often, behave badly.
My message to the white working class: globalization is not going to go away.
What I term "internal globalization" is the progress that minorities have made, and, regarding the angry whites, the majority of whom, I think, are males, the progress women have made as well. One's fellow citizens who are black are not going to say, 'Well, we're better educated now. Been there, done that--now let's give all the power back to the whites." Similarly, fellow citizens who are women are not going to say, "Well, we're better educated now as well. Been there, done that--now let's go back to the kitchen!" Not going to happen.
The real reason Brexit succeeded is due to the inequality of British society. The reason why a demagogue like Trump is (I hate to say it!) got the Republican nomination for the U.S. presidency, is due to income inequality in the United States--which is bad enough in Britain, but even worse in the United States.
Compounding the problem is innovation. There is still a lot of industry in the United States as well as in Great Britain--but it is increasingly automated. The jobs aren't there.
Another problem is that the young and educated, who are doing fine, ignore the older and less educated, just as the working class whites in their days of prosperity ignored minorites.
Those raging whites, who are voting for those who advocate horrible policies, are not cogs in globalization's machine: they are worthy human beings, just like everyone else.
What are we to do? THOSE THAT HAVE MUST SHARE! I'm not advocating for complete equality, for talents differ. (Demanding complete equality is like trying to strictly practice "Turn the other cheek" --We'd all be cheekless pretty damn quick.) Innovators deserve more money, I have no problem with that. But they must never forget that innovation, which is great for them, has not been so great for everyone else.
Everyone deserves a living wage! Everyone deserves adequate housing--(not a mansion)! Everyone deserves to live in a safe neighborhood! Education must be widely available and affordable!
I dislike nationalism--look what it did to Europe! And I abhor racism--most whites have no idea of the ongoing suffering, the oppression of talent and the deflection of happiness that racism causes. You, therefore, have a good idea of how I would have voted in Britain or how I will vote in the U.S. presidential election later this year.
The world has changed. Whether one liked the 1950s or not, those times are not coming back. We need to adjust and to act.
Members of the white working class, nay, members of all those who have faced misfortune due to globalization: turn off your TVs and do everything you can to replace our selfish, narrow-minded, egotistical leaders with those who treat everyone like the astoundingly unique entities we are--human beings!
I would love to be even cautiously optimistic.
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