Maybe the Brexiteers were right after all?
- Thread starter White_Unifier
- Start date
I wouldn't have voted Credit without knowing the alternative. For example, had the referendum been between remain or unilateral free trade, I might then have given unilateral free trade some serious consideration. Instead, it was between remain and a mystery Brexit with no clear idea of what it would look like.
If the UK turns to unilateral,free trade, then Brexit might turn out well.
If the UK turns to protectionism, then Brexit was a very bad move. The problem is the Brexiterrs essentially voted for a blank checque.
We also had no clear idea of what would happen to the UK had it decided to stay in the EU.
Sorry, I meant Brexit. Damn autocorrect. But I think you got it anyway.
As for your comment, Remain was the devil you knew. An undefined Brexit was a leap into the abyss. This is all hindsight, but had it been a choice between remain and Brexit with unilateral free trade, Brexit would likely have gained more support since the choices would have been more clearly defined.
If the UK does go the way of unilateral free trade, it might very well come out on top.
Here is the Brexit a I understand it.
2 years ago they had a vote and managed to get a result that would allow them to leave the EU.
2 years has gone by and they are no closer to leaving, as thy have no idea what to do in place of the EU.
So what is happening is that they will probably end up with the trade agreements but without the political sway.
****ing brilliant.
2 years ago they had a vote and managed to get a result that would allow them to leave the EU.
2 years has gone by and they are no closer to leaving, as thy have no idea what to do in place of the EU.
So what is happening is that they will probably end up with the trade agreements but without the political sway.
****ing brilliant.
That was the Brexiteers' big mistake. Voting against remain rather than for Brexit meant they could gain support from whoever disliked the EU. Unfortunately, voting against something rather than for something provides no common ground. Now Brexiters are very divided between protectionists and free-traders. That was a risk not worth taking. At least the EU, for all its constraints, was an established market. The only reason to leave the EU might have been for unilateral free trade, and even on that economists are divided. Some say unilateral free trade would benefit the UK somewhat more than staying in the EU. Others say it would benefit it somewhat less. Unilateral free trade is a good idea when all falls apart and you need to take the nuclear option. It's not the option to rake when all goes well because the transition period will be painful. With that in mind, we want it to be worthwhile. Had the EU been collapsing for example, or should the US become increasingly protectionist and unreliable, then unilateral free trade, for all its pain of transition, makes sense.
Again, it's a nuclear option. When Singapore and Hong Kong went that route, they had nothing to lose and were facing tough times. New Zealand was somewhat forced into it through tough economic times too. Canada might be facing it against its will with Trump. But the UK just decided to leap into the precipice for no apparent reason. Now that it's done and if there is no turning back, then unilateral free trade might make sense for the UK at this point but only because it's already created its own crisis.