Britain’s decision to leave the European Union has raised thousands of questions. These questions range from the balance of global forces at the level of the planet to the daily lives of Britons at the level of the individual. If we were to condense all these questions into one, we would perhaps end up with this very simple question: “Will they make it without the European Union?”
There are two ways to answer this question. The first is to consider the prospects of each British citizen separately and determine the factor that will represent the future of the United Kingdom. I will not select this method, firstly because there is no way of knowing the prospects of 65 million people, and secondly because it does not take into account external actors, states and supranational organisations. The second is to consider the prospects of the United Kingdom and subsequently to assume that these make up the very factor that represents the future of the British people.
My answer to the first question is founded on two pillars: the existence of solid institutions and the historical depth of the United Kingdom as a state entity. The existence of solid institutions is the main criteria examined by an organisation before it decides to invest time, intellect and wealth. Historical depth provides a strong indication that this state or nation will maintain its sovereignty for many years to come, thus enhancing the general image of its safety and stability. It is these pillars that form a basis for basic human rights, such as the right of personal freedoms, the right of private ownership and the right to the freedom of association, which, in a nutshell, support the concept of rational self-interest, that is, the values needed in order for man to survive as man, and for his recognition as a Unit.
Magna Carta was signed in 1215 and focused on the rights of free men, mainly of the Barons. Magna Carta was given this name to distinguish it from the Charter of the Forest, which was signed two years later and assigned rights and protection to common people against the abuses of the aristocracy. Today, Magna Carta is an important symbol of freedom, which represents the victory of personal freedom over the arbitrary authority of the despot, as well as the first rays of modern history shining through the deep Middle Ages. These charters were signed at a time when continental Europe was dominated by the darkness of Feudalism.
The United Kingdom is one of the oldest uninterrupted European democracies, if not the oldest. With a parliamentary history dating back to 1265, it is the torchbearer that carried democracy over to the modern era and squared its shoulders when fascism and authoritarianism reigned across the rest of Europe. There is no point in talking about the rest of the planet, where regimes range from sultanism to religious government. The Isle of Man, a self-governing Crown dependency, is the oldest parliament in continuous existence in the world.
The British pound is the oldest currency in use to this day. It has been in continuous use from 1707 to the present day, while the silver penny goes as far back as 775 AD. It would be interesting to bet on “which currency will continue to exist 10 years from now, the Euro or the Pound?”
London is the one European capital that has not been occupied by foreign military forces in almost a thousand years. It was last besieged in 1066 when England was conquered by the Normans. London has proven to be far tougher than other historical cities across the planet, such as Paris, Moscow and Beijing. It is not by chance that 25% of the world’s gold reserves are kept in London, this percentage including the reserves of 30 countries.
A true cosmopolitan can bestow the title of global Metropolis upon only a select few cities on this planet. London is the first genuinely contemporary city that could be dubbed a global Metropolis. Berlin gives off a strong provincial air, while Brussels—seen from the angle of historical depth—is an artificial city that has been built to meet temporary needs.
From a geopolitical point of view, Britain has always been on the winning side of history, not only by creating a strong geopolitical and geostrategic presence, but also by winning two world wars and one cold war, shedding its blood in the Metropolis and in faraway countries. Britain humbly decided to relinquish its world dominance when the time came for it to unequally yet wisely share this responsibility.
The above prove that the United Kingdom breeds, guards and allows others to reproduce its institutions. Its historical depth is self-evident. These two pillars complement and support one another, and create an environment in which the individual is allowed to survive and gain recognition. Thus, the answer to the initial question is clear. The United Kingdom will make it without the European Union.
In fact, can the European Union and its member states be compared to the United Kingdom? I would say that if we posed the same questions about the prospects of the European Union, the answers would be far from what the average European expects them to be.
