Britain and the EU

Mistermeaner

Risk with referendums on this stuff is its easy to whip up support for the separatists on the basis of misplaced nationalism, where poorly informed fools are allowed to vote with their hearts.

See Scotland for recent example.



#######CLAPTON IS A CHARMING SOUL#########


While there may be space for rational debate about either side it's difficult to whip up mob enthusiasm for union

CLAPTON

Mistermeaner wrote: »

Risk with referendums on this stuff is its easy to whip up support for the separatists on the basis of misplaced nationalism, where poorly informed fools are allowed to vote with their hearts.

See Scotland for recent example.

While there may be space for rational debate about either side it's difficult to whip up mob enthusiasm for union

the unionists in scotland won .... were they a mob?

kabayiri

Thrugelmir wrote: »

There's plenty of division in Europe already. Refugee crisis has clearly shown that. Germany acted in self interest.

As did Hungary. But clearly there seems to be wrong and right forms of self interest.

Mistermeaner

CLAPTON wrote: »

the unionists in scotland won .... were they a mob?

Did I say they were? You can probably answer your own question

CLAPTON

Mistermeaner wrote: »

Did I say they were? You can probably answer your own question

so I guess what you said

See Scotland for recent example.

While there may be space for rational debate about either side it's difficult to whip up mob enthusiasm for union

you actually meant that you were sure both sides will debate rationally and that neither side will behavour in anyway 'mob' like

of course that was you intended : I just don't know how I misunderstood.

Mistermeaner

CLAPTON wrote: »

so I guess what you said




you actually meant that you were sure both sides will debate rationally and that neither side will behavour in anyway 'mob' like

of course that was you intended : I just don't know how I misunderstood.

"It's difficult to whip up mob enthusiasm for union"

In Scotland the mob did not win.

I could have said "it's easy to whip up mob enthusiasm for separation"

I've edited the earlier post so hopefully it's clearer now

CLAPTON

Mistermeaner wrote: »

"It's difficult to whip up mob enthusiasm for union"

In Scotland the mob did not win.

I could have said "it's easy to whip up mob enthusiasm for separation"

I've edited the earlier post so hopefully it's clearer now

I'm even more confused now.


you now seem to be saying one side will be 'rational'

and the other will whip up mob enthusiasm

..that's what I thought you said the first time

Mistermeaner

Gosh you're hard work!

1. There is room for rational debate on both sides (union vs separation). This applies to both the scotland separation from the UK and to the UK separation from the eu.

2. It is generally easier to whip up mob enthusiasm for separation in either case (scotland and eu)

The 'mob' (whom I have admittedly not defined) is the uninformed and easily led masses - who, IMO, in the case of the Scotland debate and the eu debate will be more likely to lean toward separation on emotional and misplaced nationalist tendencies rather than to give due consideration to either side of rational debate.

Think of the "I wanna keep the pound cos it's British init" type mentality.

padington

I would much prefer a free trade treaty with the yanks with a
visa/ labour swap negotiation if it made little difference economically.

Or at least could someone sort out a better visa agreement between te US / UK sometime soon. Surely it should be possible to make an agreement to allow an American that wants to come to the UK and work to be able to swap with the Brit that wants to go to the states for while to work.

Carl31

kabayiri wrote: »

It's interesting.

If this short thread is anything to go by, this is going to be quite an aggressive referendum from both sides.

Even if the result is to remain in, the campaign process could drive deep divisions within the Tory party.

The Scottish indy referendum has shown that the losing side don't just give up either.

Perhaps the worst outcome is a close call, where each camp claim some kind of victory?

I doubt this thread gives a very good indication of the UK as a whole. There's a he'll of a lot of people that don't come online to debate the economy

In fact there is probably a minority that have any interest or knowledge of economic factors