2/3/19

The deadline for Britain’s exit out of the European is coming up, but with no plan or agreement in place, it is hard to see how it’s gonna turn out.
As Americans it could be easy not paying attention or have interest in the whole process, but it might actually end up having a big impact over here as well.
So what is Brexit? The word Brexit is made up of the two other words Britain and exit, meaning Britain exiting the European Union. The European Union or known as the EU is a political and economic partnerships between 28 of the countries in Europe. It has its own parliament and put up a set of rules for the countries involved. Being part of the EU gives a lot of benefits, like free trade and free travel between the countries and they help each other out, a bit like the different states of America. So why do they wanna leave? The 52 to 48 vote shows a big split in the opinions of the britains, with the older generation being more pro them leaving. Many people are against the heavy emigration that has taken place over the last couple years, where EU has put up regulations as to how many each country has to take in. A lot of the older generation believe that the country will do better by themselves, and that they’re helping the other countries within the union too much.
After the 18 months of negotiation from Theresa May, her plan was rejected by a historic margin of 230 votes. It might show that the will of the people have changed, after they learned about all of the consequences and costs it would have when they left. It is a very costly and resourceful affair, with Britain being one of the most integrated countries and founding countries of the EU.
But how would that impact the United States? The currency markets have been going up and down making trade and financial matters unstable. Britain is the United States fourth largest import and while Britain had a free trade deal with the EU, they’ll now have to work out their own trading deal. They are on the main stage of the financial world, and them pulling out, is a step back in globalization and could have a lot of impact all around the world. About 2 million united states citizens have jobs in Britain that might be affected, so the loss of stability in the international business world is something to consider.
Works cited
Mueller, Benjamin. “What Is Brexit? A Guide to Why It Matters and What Happens Next.” The New York Times, 28 Jan. 2019, www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/world/europe/what-is-brexit.html.
Amadeo, Kimberly. “Parliament Just Voted Down the Brexit Plan. Now What?” The Balance Small Business, The Balance, 21 Jan. 2019, www.thebalance.com/brexit-consequences-4062999.
Photo: BBC