Thread: UK out of EU

Originally Posted by Sailor

Imho polarization is rarely or never good. At worst it might lead into tragic consequences like what happened here 99 years ago.

I'm sorry to see these days when people carelessly put critic on bit wrong directions, be it EU or USA or whatever. When they in fact should put their critic on globalisation. Which happens no matter what governments, EU or USA do. There is no escape except maybe in North Korea. The wheel is not turning back. Factories do not come back to Manchaster, Denver or Turku Finland from China. No matter what we decide.

EU is actually pretty loose union that leaves individual governments changes to make also bad decisions. That is what we saw in Greece. People there decided to vote for politicians that promised nice things and rose gardens, and at the same time, lead their country into bankrupt. At the same time Union has been the only hope for former eastern European countries where standards of living have raised dramatically since the days of the iron curtain.

On the other hand EU has done remarkable job securing peace in the continent. From where i stand, it has done a lot more good than our politicians could have never done. Giving people more changes and more alternatives to choose from. Too often politicians that keeps bad yell and big mouth on 'right to choose ourselves' actually mean that they want to decide for people. Not giving people right to choose themself.

EU is not ready of course but keeps changing, not only today but also in the future.

Yes, polarization is rarely if ever good. Meaningful dialog ceases and no consensus can be built on the way ahead. Pure dogma never got anyone anywhere.

Unfortunately there is no turning the wheel back on a globalized economy but that does not make it any more palatable to large sections of the population that formerly had a decent standard of living.

The EU no matter how it has improved things in Europe still is seen to interfere with the very different cultures in the various countries that comprise the EU. Cultural identities, customs and traditions, are a very important part of being a distinct country. Whether or not they are in fact being trampled does not matter only that they are perceived, rightly or wrongly, to be trampled.

Add to that the fear of the unknown/foreign to the problem.

Bob