After all the months past since the acceptation of BREXIT by a very narrow majority of the British voters, after all the fastidious discussions led since then without any tangible result between the representatives of the two parties, it seems to me that it has become evident that the voting had been based on false appreciations and promises. A decision resulting of misleading information should be reviewed and the voters should get the right and the opportunity to reconsider their position and so vote again on basis of the knowledge of the real or at least probable result of their decision.
Two important aspects should as to me considered in the decision making:
1. The general political and economic situation of the world: The unification process engaged in Europe is constantly menaced on both sides, by the United States of America of Trump (but already under the former presidents!) at the west and by the Russia of Putin at the east, which both tend in their way to impeach this process.
It is evident that inside this global constellation none of the European countries, may they have in ancient times been as important and mighty as the British Empire, none is powerful enough to play any leading role in the world of today. This, for any of the European nations is only possible as part of a united continent. An independent Great Britain outside the European Union would only risk to become a kind of vassal of the United States of America. It would be a fatal mistake as to believe that the British Dominions such as Canada, Australia or New Zealand would be interested in a reviewed and updated economic association, their interests being now strongly focused on their own global neighbourhood and, as to Europe, on the European Union.
2. The strong cultural and historical European identity of Great Britain. Even if the worldwide presence and the importance of the British Empire confered to the British kingdom an outstanding position in the world since the Peace of Paris in 1763, its culture and its history relies it to the European continent with its Celtic and Germanic roots.
What would be the European philosophy without the so important contribution of the empiric philosophers John Locke and David Hume, what the built arts without the late English Gothic cathedrals, the Glasgow School of Art Nouveau or, more recently, the modern architects such as James Stirling, David Chipperfield or Norman Foster? What, before all, would be the European development towards democracy and human rights without the very first approaches, from the Magna Charta in 1215 to the Bill of Rights in 1689?
So, in spite of all the differences, especially in the judicial and political system, the absence for instance of a constitution, Great Britain, even in its insular situation, belongs to Europe. The above mentioned differences based on a different philosophical approach, should not be considered as differences but rather as complements to the more continental attitudes. These complements are essential to the unification of the European continent, which obviously has to be reviewed and redefined on a stronger and more democratic basement to which the absence of the British contribution would signify the lack of an important stone.
So, dear British friends, please reconsider your fallacious decision of 2016 and vote again in full lucidity and out of all demagogic influences, so to contribute to the success of the so important European Unification.
Hans Gutscher
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