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The EU has important geopolitical reasons for existing on the continent of Europe. However, the UK does not share the history of the continental countries of b
by jpz 7y ago
The EU has important geopolitical reasons for existing on the continent of Europe.
However, the UK does not share the history of the continental countries of being occupied by their neighbours.
The compact "I surrender much of my sovereignty for security from being periodically exterminated by my neighbours" - has a very different balance on the scales for the country of the UK than it does for countries with a recent memory of occupation, that have seen large percentages of their populations dying from violence in continental wars going back centuries.
- qubex 7y agoI agree with your observation that the UK has never been occupied, but disagree that the UK can afford to disregard continental matters. The UK has deployed soldiers to fight and die in continental Europe since the Middle Ages, and the last World War heralded in a period of untold suffering for civilian populations on the Home Front, all of whom were well within the reach of industrial-era weapons and legitimate targets within the remit of the doctrines of Total War. It’s not for no reason that the past 300 years of British foreign policy has revolved around the principle of ensuring that no continental power could rise up to the point of posing a threat to her navies. Admittedly, this is now truly superseded, but it should bear an impact on people’s decisions.