英国退欧终局

Oct 16, 2018 Robert Skidelsky

伦敦—英国“留欧派”仍然希望扭转英国退出欧盟的决定，他们在英国各大城市打出了一个简单的问题标语：“退欧——真的值吗？”好吧，值吗？

经济学给出的答案是明确的：绝对不值。从退欧的成本收益分析看，2016年退欧公投的结果绝对是不理性的。

但经济学也同样明确地影响了这一决定。退欧鼓吹者聪明地将明显可察觉的经济怨气，特别是反移民情绪，引导为对欧盟的敌意。但这一怨气原本是针对内生于英国经济的伤害，始作俑者是不负责任的英国统治者。威尔·胡顿（Will Hutton）和安德鲁·阿多尼斯（Andrew Adonis）在他们的新书《拯救英伦》（Saving Britain）中正确地指出，“我们的问题产生于英国；也只能解决于英国。欧洲没有阻挠这一使命……”

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Robert Skidelsky

Writing for PS since 2003
178 Commentaries

Robert Skidelsky, a member of the British House of Lords, is Professor Emeritus of Political Economy at Warwick University. The author of a three-volume biography of John Maynard Keynes, he began his political career in the Labour party, became the Conservative Party’s spokesman for Treasury affairs in the House of Lords, and was eventually forced out of the Conservative Party for his opposition to NATO’s intervention in Kosovo in 1999.

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Robert Coleman Nov 26, 2018

For all the fanfare about the new populists, the original one, Donald Trump, seems to be sliding fast. The public are turning on him and he just lost heavily in the midterms. His previous two year freedom from scrutiny is now well and truly over, given the Democratic rise in the USA. The stock market in the US is falling and Mr Mueller is rumoured to be wrapping up his investigation, and even Mr Dershowitz, his defender-in-chief, is laying the groundwork to save face by saying the report will be politically devastating to the president.

In the UK the Brexiteers are in disarray, only ever having played the role of thorn-in-the-side, when required to step up and actually do something are collapsing in a heap of has-beens and wash-outs. If this had been a project born solely born in Parliament it would have knocked on the head some time ago. Because they managed to get a referendum to go their way, with the help of the right-wing media, they have now created an existential crisis for the country. It is as if a malevolent class clown has finally caused the teacher to die of exhaustion and now has been nominated by the will of the students to teach the class. Complete idiocy and anarchy are now the result.

I don't know how it ends, but I don't see populism coming out the winner that many think it to be...
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Mike Robinson Oct 24, 2018

I am of the (non-European ...) opinion that these are the EU's problems far, far more than Britain's. Britain was simply the first – but, not the last – to call them to task.

In its most recent days, the EU has strived to become "The United States of Europe, with its capitol in Brussels, DC." A para-government, as it were, supreme to all of its member "states" by virtue of being able to override their laws. A para-government that conveniently forgets that said "states" are still "sovereign countries." A para-government that wants to forget what "sovereignty" is, and why it is still important.

In its zeal to include "all of Europe" under its jurisdiction, the EU has also become "oxen unequally yoked together."

In my opinion, the EU must swallow a lot of bitter medicine and re-invent itself. Europe will benefit from a trans-European trade union. But it will never, ever become – nor should it become – "United States."
- Robert Coleman Nov 26, 2018
  
  Certainly many of the texts which establish the EU have drawn considerably on those that form the basis of the USA. That is evident and common sense. It is a successful example that has worked historically.
  
  What you don't seem to understand about the USA or the EU, is that the supranational government only has such powers as are granted to it by the member states, regardless of what individuals involved in the supranational government wish for.
  
  You also don't really seem to understand that you can, and apparently are leaving the EU based upon your own free will. That undermines your arguments, yet still you evidence an unexplained hostility to the EU. I reiterate, regardless of what certain EU leaders wish for, they can only do as the member states allow.
  
  Can I suggest that your aversion to the EU, and your soon to be evidenced loss of benefits by leaving, are caused not by anything the EU has done or not done, but by your own wilful failure to understand and work within the organisation. There appears to be no logic on the surface for arguments like yours so I can only think there must be other motives which are not openly discussed.
  
  Good luck. While I live in Britain, I am a dual national and have options. I feel sorry for those that don't and will have to endure a decade or more of chaos.
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aidanwisniewski Oct 16, 2018

Well Said. The bureaucratic inefficiencies of the European Union are a contradiction to its mission along with the various forms of consolidation it imposes on European nations. For instance, the European Union even prohibits a large amount of international water from Britain to fish for commercial accumulation. Britain will hopefully follow through with their intentions in regards to national sovereignty and achieving a fruitful income for their economic stability. The European Union negalects and systematically places Britain at a disadvantage if Britain were to remain within the European Union. The phenomenon of Eastern European nations that have become severely beleaguered under the jurisdiction of these appointed and incompetent officials are absurd. Ideally, we would hope to see that Britain is not a victim of the Union, as they have already become.
- Robert Coleman Nov 26, 2018
  
  Striking nonsense. Google translated from the Russian?
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