当前位置: Language Tips> 新闻播报

The sweet sorrow of Brexit

中国日报网 2016-06-28 17:19

分享到

 

Get Flash Player

Britain just voted to leave the European Union, exposing many divisions in the country. It showed the divide between those for and against the EU, respectively, to be Scotland versus England and Wales, the young vs the old, the rich vs the poor, the educated vs the less educated, and big cities vs small towns. Another division that has been revealed is between what Britons thought they were and what they really are.

Far from being a nation of modern, sophisticated, multicultural go-getters, it turns out we are still a country of beer-swilling bumpkins with a distaste for foreigners and a deep mistrust of European powers. In his essay The Lion and the Unicorn about patriotism, George Orwell gives a portrait of Britain that many might have found outdated only a week or so ago, but which looks to be as solid as ever post-Brexit.

One sentence in Orwell's tract that will resonate with Remain campaigners currently licking their wounds is: “The insularity of the English, their refusal to take foreigners seriously, is a folly that has to be paid for very heavily from time to time.” And, indeed, there are many doom-laden forecasts for the British economy in the light of the referendum result.

Why did the majority of Brits – 52 percent of a 72 percent turnout – vote to leave? Many resented the fact that the initial project of a unified single market had been overridden and had become about creating a super-state that would subsume national governments, and even have an army. British people also resented the dominance of France and Germany in the union.

In recent years, the EU was blamed for soaring immigration. Britain was by far the most popular country in Europe for migrants of all stripes, bringing diversity but also straining public services and housing. As more Eastern European countries joined, there were many more EU migrants to Britain. It was also felt that of the masses of recent immigrants from places like Syria into Europe, many would in time make their way to Britain. The timing of the referendum, in this regard, was terrible.

While such concerns were justified, the British people have lost a lot and Brexit is not something to celebrate mindlessly. Two years from now they will no longer be able to easily work and live in the EU countries, while British businesses will have to pay a tariff of a few percentage points on goods exported to the EU. Britain has also lost a lot of its influence in Europe.

Nevertheless, the country has regained its right of self-determination. This is a time when, as Orwell said in the above essay, “Patriotism and intelligence will have to come together again.” Britain can rise to the challenges and opportunities of a clean slate. It can forge new trade deals around the world, much as it did in its heyday – only this time by deploying the business acumen and experience that have made it the sixth-largest economy in the world instead of the might of gunships.

(编辑:丹妮)

Broadcaster:

The sweet sorrow of Brexit

Greg Fountain is a copy editor and occasional presenter for China Daily. Before moving to Beijing in January, 2016 he worked for newspapers in the Middle East and UK. He has an M.A in Print Journalism from the University of Sheffield, a B.A in English and History from the University of Reading.

上一篇 : A small act of kindness from a big man
下一篇 :

 

分享到

中国日报网英语点津版权说明:凡注明来源为“中国日报网英语点津:XXX(署名)”的原创作品,除与中国日报网签署英语点津内容授权协议的网站外,其他任何网站或单位未经允许不得非法盗链、转载和使用,违者必究。如需使用,请与010-84883561联系;凡本网注明“来源:XXX(非英语点津)”的作品,均转载自其它媒体,目的在于传播更多信息,其他媒体如需转载,请与稿件来源方联系,如产生任何问题与本网无关;本网所发布的歌曲、电影片段,版权归原作者所有,仅供学习与研究,如果侵权,请提供版权证明,以便尽快删除。

中国日报网双语新闻

扫描左侧二维码

添加Chinadaily_Mobile
你想看的我们这儿都有!

中国日报双语手机报

点击左侧图标查看订阅方式

中国首份双语手机报
学英语看资讯一个都不能少!

关注和订阅

本文相关阅读
人气排行
热搜词
 
 
精华栏目
 

阅读

词汇

视听

翻译

口语

合作

 

关于我们 | 联系方式 | 招聘信息

Copyright by chinadaily.com.cn. All rights reserved. None of this material may be used for any commercial or public use. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. 版权声明:本网站所刊登的中国日报网英语点津内容,版权属中国日报网所有,未经协议授权,禁止下载使用。 欢迎愿意与本网站合作的单位或个人与我们联系。

电话:8610-84883645

传真:8610-84883500

Email: languagetips@chinadaily.com.cn