from Hacker News

Open Letter from a Eurocitizen Living in London: Brits, Vote for Brexit

by Hjugo on 2/28/16, 8:08 PM with 35 comments

• by mercurial on 2/28/16, 9:03 PM

  Is the European voice fading? When was "political Europe" ever a thing? Each crisis sees individual European governments (or at best, regional blocks) go in their own direction. You can even watch the farce unfold right now, with the attitude towards Greece, where the neighbouring countries are basically saying "that's not our problem". And let's not even talk about the "European voice" on the topic of EU foreign policy, because there is no such thing.

  And I don't see that changing. Due to a combination between structural issues, different interests between North, West, East and South and the crisis-related rise of right-wing populism across many European countries (to various degrees, not every country has turned into Hungary), it's getting worse. And I don't see what's going to change that.

  I used to be in favour of an EU "federal state". Now, I'm not so sure. Political union makes sense for countries with similar culture and economic interests. But as it is, I see regional blocks, not political Europe. Maybe dropping the common currency and splitting the EU into "mini-EUs" would be a better approach?

• by anexprogrammer on 2/28/16, 9:10 PM

  As someone who spent 20 or more years believing Britain should leave the EEC/EU for the last decade or so I've been an increasingly enthusiastic European. Not because I believe in the institution as such, but because it has become the only real check on our ever more broken democracy.

  Dear letter writer, the view from London counts for nothing, you should try a view from the minor colonies (UK outside London and the home counties).

• by eponeponepon on 2/28/16, 8:54 PM

  Condensed somewhat: "Dear British voters: Give up. Your objectionable government renders you people unwelcome in our club, and I want you out."

  Condensed further: "Dear British voters: Screw yourselves. Literally."

  Either way, this piece propounds a deeply and unnecessarily divisive opinion. We are not our government, and it saddens me greatly to be reminded that the exclusionist prejudices half the Commons are currently busy whipping up into a frothing idiocy here are just as present on the continent.

• by calpaterson on 2/28/16, 8:54 PM

  > increasingly interdependent world where European nation-states are decreasingly relevant.

  I find this (fairly common) statement pretty opaque. I'd appreciate someone explaining what he means and why it's a good argument.

• by return0 on 2/28/16, 9:03 PM

  > special treatment as granted by the other EU member states. It did not adopt the Euro, it does not participate in Schengen, and it can pick and choose from within the areas of security, justice and police cooperation as it pleases

  All of the european north is not in the Euro, other countries (e.g bulgaria) are not in Shengen, and every other country has the same options too choose (with consequences). There is nothing special about the UK in the EU, as much as Cameron wants to claim the opposite. Despite political gestures, the UK has no other option than to stay in the EU, the opposite would be inane. As the author himself suggests, if they left, they would soon find themselves wanting back, for purely practical reasons. They are not even a barrier to a closer union, there are other more important issues.

• by tarkin2 on 2/28/16, 9:00 PM

  I saw a fair bit of anti-British thinking in the European deputies. I sense France and Germany would be able to go through with a few things that previously they couldn't. It's hard to say if this would actually benefit Europe. It all depends if the UK's contribution to European debates is actually productive.

  It's almost certain Britain's trading position would be weakened outside the EU. But I'm unsure if the EU would benefit from Britain's exit. It depends if the UK is blocking things would be positive for the EU, something I've seen no evidence of yet.

• by Oletros on 2/28/16, 8:50 PM

  I can't express it better. Please, leave