Introduction
Brexit is a term that is given by the local people and the media to denote the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (EU). After being part of the European Union since 1973, the country decided to abolish the idea of single market membership after the exit from the union (Dorling 2016). Subsequently, 51.9% of the people residing in the UK voted to be out of the EU. The assignment focuses on the reasons for the staying and leaving the European Union. It provides a personal opinion about the reason for being favourable or unfavourable towards the acceptance of Brexit. The argument of the topic is against Brexit and the manner in which it can affect the people of Britain.
Three reasons for Brexit
It has been seen that Brexit has received both positive as well as negative criticisms. According to Goodwin and Heath (2016), the reasons for and against Britain, leaving the European Union can have a severe impact on the economy and the political scenario of UK. Some of the reasons for and against Brexit can be analysed.
Argument for Brexit
A sovereign country: With the exit from the EU, Britain can become a sovereign country once again. Over the years, Britain had remained as a powerful independent country. However, with the advent of the EU, Britain had to remain submissive to the unelected bureaucrats of Brussels. Kierzenkowski et al. (2016) stated that ties with the United States could be strengthened with the exit from the European Union.
Border controls: Britain has been a target for migrants in search of food and shelter. This is mainly due to the lenient political entities in the countries. The migration has been a huge factor for Britain since the joining of Poland and other Eastern European countries in the EU. At one time, it was seen that Britain had a larger number of migrants than the local people.
Improve trade policies: Due to the regulation enforced by the EU, Britain had not been to develop its economy as it did in the past. Trade negotiations with other countries could not be undertaken due to the interference of the EU. However, with the exit from the union, Britain can decide on the independent trading practices with countries like China that provide opportunities to improve the economy of the country (Inglehart and Norris 2016).
Counter argument for Brexit
A sovereign country: With the sovereignty of the country, Britain may also face potential threats from other countries. Ties with the United States may improve but also cost the country its freedom.
Border controls: The border controls may increase but also affect Britain in a negative way as travelling to EU countries may become difficult for the people. This may also affect business particularly with the exports of the country.
Improve trade policies: The trade relations between the countries outside of Europe may become difficult, as most countries may not want to indulge in trade with the country given the infamous history of the country in the past.
Argument against Brexit
Justice system: According to Dhingra et al. (2016), the justice system in the UK can be depleted with the exit from the EU. It has been seen that the criminals fleeing Britain after committing a crime in the country can be brought to justice in other countries under the EU.
Trade: It has been seen that 44% of the exports of Britain are done within the European countries. The exit from EU may open up trade opportunities with countries outside Europe, but will also put up a barrier in the trade relations with the European countries (Springford and Whyte 2014).
The increased cost of travelling: Travelling from one European country to another and enjoying the scenic beauty can be difficult with the exit from EU. The EU provides a free trade zone among countries in the Union. The exit of Britain could mean an increase in tariffs and control.
Counter argument against Brexit
Justice system: With the loss of criminals from the country, Britain can become a crime-less country. The country can enjoy and provide safe location for the people.
Trade: The improved trade relation between countries outside Europe like China can enrich the country with various imports and exports. Thus, it can enrich the economy of Britain.
The increased cost of travelling: The same can be true in the case of foreign countries as travelling to Britain will become costly as well. Hence, the economy can be enriched due to this.
Rebuttal
In the light of the analysis about the pros and cons of Brexit, it can be said that the exit from the EU was a bad decision by the people and the Government of UK. The fact that the country may face an increased rate of crime is one of the negative consequences of the exit. The safety of the country can be compromised as unrest in the Middle East can have a negative consequence for the country (Dhingra and Reenen 2016). This can be evidenced from the justice system being upheld in the country due to the exit from EU. Apart from this, about one-tenth of the jobs provided by Britain are linked to the EU. Applying for jobs or higher studies within the EU can be difficult for the people residing in Britain (Pisani-Ferry et al. 2016).
Conclusion
Thus, it can be concluded that the controversy regarding Brexit is a never-ending phenomenon in the modern world. People have a varied opinion about the decision as it has both negative as well as a positive consequence. Looking closely at both the aspects one can say that Britain needs to ensure that the negative consequence is mitigated by proper decisions by the Government. Britain has a powerful infrastructure that can help gaining back the sovereignty that it once possessed. However, it needs to be kept in mind that friendly ties with the borders need to be maintained in order to maintain the economy of the country.
References
Dhingra, S., Ottaviano, G., Sampson, T. and Van Reenen, J., 2016. The impact of Brexit on foreign investment in the UK. BREXIT 2016, p.24.
Dhingra, S. and Reenen, J.V., 2016. The consequences of Brexit for UK trade and living standards.
Dorling, D., 2016. Brexit: the decision of a divided country.
Goodwin, M.J. and Heath, O., 2016. The 2016 Referendum, Brexit and the Left Behind: An Aggregate?level Analysis of the Result. The Political Quarterly, 87(3), pp.323-332.
Inglehart, R. and Norris, P., 2016. Trump, Brexit, and the rise of populism: Economic have-nots and cultural backlash.
Kierzenkowski, R., Pain, N., Rusticelli, E. and Zwart, S., 2016. The Economic Consequences of Brexit.
Pisani-Ferry, J., Röttgen, N., Sapir, A., Tucker, P. and Wolff, G.B., 2016. Europe after Brexit: A proposal for a continental partnership (Vol. 25). Brussels: Bruegel.
Springford, J. and Whyte, P., 2014. The consequences of Brexit for the City of London. London: Centre for European Reform.
