'I salute the 'patriots' of Brexit'

European – style socialism does not work, it was and is inherently flawed.  I salute therefore the ‘patriots’ who voted to leave this oppressive, centrally controlled manipulative bureaucracy operating from within the corridors of Brussels.

The irony however is in its timing and role reversal - 240 years, nearly to the day, that the American congress voted for independence.  Just as we are observing in UK today, there were ‘loyalists’ (those wishing to remain loyal to King George and therefore the British Empire) and ‘patriots’ – those willing to hang for sedition “give me liberty or give me death”.  To the patriots, freedom from the empirical rule of British governance meant building a nation, a new nation – one which meant it’s people could follow principles and values imbued within the ‘declaration of independence’ and later the constitution – written by Thomas Jefferson.  Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness – a basic premise for which congress believed that under the direction of Jefferson, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, America could separate from the dominating monarchy of Britain and prosper.  (How right they were)

Whilst Jefferson chartered the declaration of independence, Washington (the general) needed to claim it.  To win the war for independence General Washington needed to defeat the greatest army and navy that existed at that time whilst managing both political and internal (some of his army personnel) betrayal.  Without the unanimous support of congress (13 states at the time) his plight was destined to fail – over 30,000 British troops were ensconced on Staten Island in New York harbour.  What the Americans lacked in supplies and numbers was more than outweighed by the motivation for freedom.  The ability to make one’s own laws and to determine one’s own destiny.  (sound familiar to Brexit)

The chasm and contrast in growth, ideas, innovation and capital accretion between UK/Europe and America of 1776 and that of today, 240 years later is vast.  The early days of laissez-faire capitalism created by the declaration of independence and the American constitution provided the blue print for phenomenal opportunity – and it was grasped with both hands by a people and a country destined for greatness.  Of course, it had failed to address the basic human right for all of its people – the anti-slavery wording was omitted from the amended declaration.  That human right (equality and liberty) continues to remain the festering sore of both America and Europe, neither socialism nor capitalism has mastered its fundamental premise.  The American’s won their war of independence and have dominated the world’s economy ever since.  Will the British follow?

Socialism does not produce the greatest good for the greatest number, liberty does.  Free trade, free markets and free people.  But a capitalist bias and belief in liberty and freedom should not be confused with non-belief in a robust social safety net.  So often capitalism is inappropriately categorised as profiteering in the face of poverty and/or inequality.  The maintenance of any safety net is conditional upon long term economic growth – promoted by limited government, low taxes and sensible regulation.  Slowly evolving in India and China and creating the greatest growth of middle class numbers the world has ever experienced – capitalism, not socialism or feudalism is dragging people out of poverty in their millions.  Africa will follow.

Sixty percent of UK laws and regulations were coming out of Brussels – “The corridors of Brussels are crawling with lobbyists for big companies, big banks and big environmental pressure groups seeking rules that work as barriers to entry for smaller firms and new ideas” (Matt Ridley – The Rational Optimist) “The Volkswagen emissions scandal “ he writes “came from a big company bullying the EU into rules that suited it and poisoned us.  The de facto ban on genetically modified organisms is at the behest of big green groups, many of which receive huge grants from Brussels”

I’m under no illusion that the biggest driver to ‘leave’ at the Brexit referendum was fear.  Fear for one’s livelihood and fear for ones chosen way of life.  The ‘remain’ people (the loyalists of 240 years ago) are predominantly city dwellers (London in particular) and professionals.   Their world is travel, consumerism and the digital age.  They have good incomes and regular employment opportunity within a changing workplace and they predominantly live for today.  That day has been disrupted just as the ‘leave’ people feel their world has been disrupted by European cheap labour and cultural dysfunction within provincial UK.  To the patriots – border control is of primary concern.

As UK and the Tory party in particular attempt to unify the country it must at first seek unity within.  George Washington did not become the first president of the American republic without bloodshed and discontent.  Europe is in turmoil and UK needs to convince its people that the cause ahead is worth suffering, for a more efficient and moral society.  The British people voted ‘leave’.  But what they really meant – in a message heard all over Europe – was ‘STOP’