The British disaster is due to lack of leadership and fully-aware voters. Some lessons to learn from the oversea mediocrity
by Emanuele Bonini
Some considerations on Brexit have been already done, but what is going on in the United Kingdom opens the doors to further reflections. Participation in democratic process and awareness of voters are part of this unprecedented situation. Despite the president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, said this is no time for hysteria, the chaotic post-vote behaviour of British people is disavowing Mr. Tusk. Apparently the traditional British «keep calm and carry on» approach was smashed out by popular will. Here what can be said in addiction to the preliminary consideration on the British referendum.
Misinformation (citizens): When voters collect signatures in order to call for a new referendum the day after a referendum on the same topic, clearly there is something wrong in democracy. In 48 hours over three million people asked to repeat the referendum. What Brits are saying is basically «we are sorry, we made a mistake, please let us find a remedy to our foolishness». Which basically makes the situation even more fool, but that's it and that's where we are. Voters underestimated the consequences of their decision, and this because they basically had no any idea of what they voted for. Only after the end of the referendum British people finally realised what they did, when it was too late by now. People with voting right got a superficial approach in dealing with a vital question for their own, before general national interest.
Democracy: this British affair started the debate over democracy. Can the voting right apply for everybody? Giving the possibility to vote only to aware people, would be the right and best thing to do? These questions are becoming key. Having a look at the ongoing debates on social media is enough to understand how the basic democratic principles are now at stake. No all votes are equal. Unaware choice is harmful for the collectivity, so why should misinformed people be left free of voting? It is time to use the British epic-fail to re-discuss and reshape the rule of the democratic game. Granting the voting right to those who pass a pre-electoral exam should be the right way to move ahead.
Misinformation (politicians): citizens cannot be considered as the only responsible for having voted with no cognition. If it happened, it was because no one among the political parties - neither the pro-remain nor the pro-leave - was able to explain what the referendum was really about. It can be said Mr. Cameron gave the order of publishing several in-depth reports on the United Kingdom and the EU with the aim of explaining whether or not staying was the best option for the country. That's true, he did. But let be serious: how many people could read ten, twenty in-depth reports of hundreds and hundreds of pages? In real life nobody cares about the UK benefit for the civil aviation sector, military expenditure or the financial impact of leaving the EU. In real life everybody cares about travels, tourism, food. Politicians had to say that in case of Brexit visa would become compulsory to go everywhere in Europe; politicians had to explain that with a Brexit commercial barriers on products will come back to be in force, making export less attractive and import more expensive; politicians had to say that in case of Brexit OPEC countries will sell oil only in Euro rather than Pound; politicians had to say that in case of Brexit the UK would have suffered 350 billion Pound of loss on financial market. Did they say anything of that? No, they didn't, and they contributed to create the general misinformation over a referendum where real life has never been part of the political debate.
- Generational struggle: latest data show a stronger participation among the eldest UK voters, compared to the young part of the British population. This means new generations left their parents and grandparents decide for them. Disaffection for politics can't be a sufficient reason to don't express own personal opinion on a topic concerning our own future.
Conclusions: the lack of enlightened political leadership (or intelligent, if you prefer) together with a not aware population produced what is in the eyes of everybody across the world. Democracy with not capable decision makers - in both side - cannot work. In addiction, the huge young abstentionism made the rest. In practice, the United Kingdom deserve everything is happening and is going to happen. The choice of this referendum was irresponsible as it was the vote itself.
It is no time for blaming anyone. In case, British have to regret with themselves. It time to use this opportunity to correct what is wrong in our society. It will be up to British decide about a new referendum, and as a sovereign country they are free to be make mistakes. Then, it will be to all non-British to forgive and allow a new start. Are we ready for this? That is the real point.
Related articles
- Brexit, some preliminary considerations
Some considerations on Brexit have been already done, but what is going on in the United Kingdom opens the doors to further reflections. Participation in democratic process and awareness of voters are part of this unprecedented situation. Despite the president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, said this is no time for hysteria, the chaotic post-vote behaviour of British people is disavowing Mr. Tusk. Apparently the traditional British «keep calm and carry on» approach was smashed out by popular will. Here what can be said in addiction to the preliminary consideration on the British referendum.
Misinformation (citizens): When voters collect signatures in order to call for a new referendum the day after a referendum on the same topic, clearly there is something wrong in democracy. In 48 hours over three million people asked to repeat the referendum. What Brits are saying is basically «we are sorry, we made a mistake, please let us find a remedy to our foolishness». Which basically makes the situation even more fool, but that's it and that's where we are. Voters underestimated the consequences of their decision, and this because they basically had no any idea of what they voted for. Only after the end of the referendum British people finally realised what they did, when it was too late by now. People with voting right got a superficial approach in dealing with a vital question for their own, before general national interest.
Democracy: this British affair started the debate over democracy. Can the voting right apply for everybody? Giving the possibility to vote only to aware people, would be the right and best thing to do? These questions are becoming key. Having a look at the ongoing debates on social media is enough to understand how the basic democratic principles are now at stake. No all votes are equal. Unaware choice is harmful for the collectivity, so why should misinformed people be left free of voting? It is time to use the British epic-fail to re-discuss and reshape the rule of the democratic game. Granting the voting right to those who pass a pre-electoral exam should be the right way to move ahead.
Misinformation (politicians): citizens cannot be considered as the only responsible for having voted with no cognition. If it happened, it was because no one among the political parties - neither the pro-remain nor the pro-leave - was able to explain what the referendum was really about. It can be said Mr. Cameron gave the order of publishing several in-depth reports on the United Kingdom and the EU with the aim of explaining whether or not staying was the best option for the country. That's true, he did. But let be serious: how many people could read ten, twenty in-depth reports of hundreds and hundreds of pages? In real life nobody cares about the UK benefit for the civil aviation sector, military expenditure or the financial impact of leaving the EU. In real life everybody cares about travels, tourism, food. Politicians had to say that in case of Brexit visa would become compulsory to go everywhere in Europe; politicians had to explain that with a Brexit commercial barriers on products will come back to be in force, making export less attractive and import more expensive; politicians had to say that in case of Brexit OPEC countries will sell oil only in Euro rather than Pound; politicians had to say that in case of Brexit the UK would have suffered 350 billion Pound of loss on financial market. Did they say anything of that? No, they didn't, and they contributed to create the general misinformation over a referendum where real life has never been part of the political debate.
- Generational struggle: latest data show a stronger participation among the eldest UK voters, compared to the young part of the British population. This means new generations left their parents and grandparents decide for them. Disaffection for politics can't be a sufficient reason to don't express own personal opinion on a topic concerning our own future.
Conclusions: the lack of enlightened political leadership (or intelligent, if you prefer) together with a not aware population produced what is in the eyes of everybody across the world. Democracy with not capable decision makers - in both side - cannot work. In addiction, the huge young abstentionism made the rest. In practice, the United Kingdom deserve everything is happening and is going to happen. The choice of this referendum was irresponsible as it was the vote itself.
It is no time for blaming anyone. In case, British have to regret with themselves. It time to use this opportunity to correct what is wrong in our society. It will be up to British decide about a new referendum, and as a sovereign country they are free to be make mistakes. Then, it will be to all non-British to forgive and allow a new start. Are we ready for this? That is the real point.
Related articles
- Brexit, some preliminary considerations
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