Why I support Britain remaining in the EU －イギリスのEU残留を支持する理由－

As I write this, the polling stations are opening in the UK to allow people to vote in the in/out referendum regarding the EU.  So it is too late to convince anyone who might read this to change their mind.  But perhaps future archaeologists trying to figure out why in 2016 - World War III suddenly broke out, Britain’s civilization fell, and the UK became a wasteland of cannibals - will find this blog and get some clue as to how the disaster happened.

Okay, I’m only joking.  Whatever the public decides, I’m sure civilization will survive.  There will likely be a shock to the economy and the pound will drop in value if we leave.  Relations with the EU will probably be poor for years to come.  But perhaps the benefits of leaving are worth a little disruption?

I don’t think so.  And I can explain how I came to that conclusion by comparing the current referendum over whether to leave the EU with the 2014 Scottish referendum over whether to leave the UK.  I supported Scotland’s independence in the 2014 referendum, but I don’t support Britain leaving the EU.

I was excited during the Scottish independence campaign by hearing pro-independence politicians talking about their model for Scotland’s success as an independent country.  They talked about imitating small, independent north-European countries like Norway, Sweden and Denmark.  I imagined Scotland becoming more egalitarian, with a fairer tax system and better public services, like they have in those countries.

In contrast, the politicians who support Britain leaving the EU come from the other side of politics.  And they have been talking about making Britain’s economy more efficient by “relaxing rules”.  In practice, what that would probably mean is taking away protections and benefits for workers.  The society I imagine they want to imitate is the United States.  In the US, there are fewer business regulations and trade restrictions.  But there is also no free health-care system, few protections for workers when they get sick or want to take maternity or paternity leave and so on.

There’s a good expression in English which sums up the feeling that although things are not perfect now, a proposed change might make things even worse: Better the Devil you know.  Let’s stick with the Devilish EU., rather than what worse Devils Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage (Leave campaigners) want to make for us. 

Vocabulary:

an archaeologist – Someone who studies the events of the past by digging in the ground to find

artefacts such as old coins or pieces of pottery

to break out – for something to suddenly happen, especially something bad such as war or a fever

a wasteland – an unproductive or severely damaged area

a cannibal – a human who eats other humans

disruption – confusion or difficulties caused by a change

pro- - in favour of

egalitarian – of a society, dividing things fairly or evenly