Initially I was very happy about the Brexit, as I believed it to be a sign of the old Europe of nation states beginning to reform. Now I am not so sure. After two years the whole process seems to be stuck and I think I know why. The simple truth is: Britain on its own is simply too weak to be truly sovereign country anymore. Either you have an empire or you are part of someone elses. Two of the main British criticisms of the EU were that it caused immigration and were just the continuation of Germany by other means. The first is false and even if the second may have some truth to it: in Europe even the dominant Germany could never be more than the first among equals and thus Britain would at least have some say in the empire they are part of and could easily match German influence by forming temporary alliances with smaller, but still potent European countries like the Netherlands (quality) or the Visegrad-Countries (quantity).
If the UK now actually go through with the whole thing, they are completely powerless as to what happens to them economically. Sure, a trade war would make a dent in French and German budgets, but it would devastate the British economy. The UK does not have a diverse enough industry and technological knowledge to be competitive against the EU. Their main „industry“ is finance and in that regard London can easily be replaced by Berlin, Paris, Frankfurt or a more neutral place like Amsterdam, if the EU so chooses.
If it came to an economic war between the UK and the EU, the UK would have no choice but to turn toward the US and then they would be part of an empire with an undisputed hegemon and trade relations could just be dictated by the US without any negotiations.
Worse yet, if the EU wanted, they could probably dismember the UK. Another referendum in Scotland and Scotland is gone and back in the EU. Maybe Wales would develop a taste for independence, too and, who knows, perhaps even the city of London. What do you say, Sup Forums?
you can’t handle the fact that Germany will never be it’s own country ever again. Just a Provence of a failed political empire overrun by 3rd world migrants
Better to be poor and not a fuck-ass bitch boi, than wealthy, Germany.
Not that you'd know anything about self-respect and dignity and all that.
Jace Brooks
That is true. But will the population of the UK accept this path? Or is the alternative to being a parttime bitch boi in Europe (like everyone else) just to be the fulltime bitch boi of the US.
Ryder Ramirez
All I see in this thread are angry and derisive Britains without arguments. I say all this without anger. I know full well I could make the exact same thread about France, Germany or every other European country.
Kayden Clark
No, Germany in its present state won‘t be and neither will Britain. Both could be but would have to develop a fully new political attitude to do that. For several reasons this will never happen with the federal republic. But will it in the UK?
You failed in the fifties, when you were far more powerful than today, to fight a war against Egypt, because the US ordered you not to. So you were not even fully independent then. What makes you think it would be different today?
A truly independent Britain would need to rebuild its industry (definitely possible), strenghen its ties to it‘s former dominions (the US will have a say in that) and be able to fight out smaller and at least medium sized conflicts against third world countries to secure ressources and markets. All on its own against the interests of the US, China and the EU. Can Britain do that? Will the population go along with it? Can Britain revive or even develop a new imperial idea.
