Lessons learned from Brexit

Whether you are for or against the UK separating from the European Union, one cannot deny “Brexit” led to many lessons learned. Below is my take on such events.

Federations are hard to manage

Economic associations are highly complex frameworks that are difficult to manage over time. Take the example of NAFTA which is only comprised of 3 members; what was once a solid, straightforward partnership is now a source of conflict on various topics: immigration, tariffs, military cooperation, …

Now consider the EU with 28 member states. Having a united front with so many stakeholders is no easy feat. One member slipping out was bound to happen.

The power of emotions

The “Leave” campaign committee’s strategy to utilize highly sensitive themes such as employment and immigration was a clever move. By targeting voters who were particularly affected by the effects of deindustrialization, the Leave camp was able to influence the vote in a major way.

Politics is risky business

David Cameron was essentially up against the wall. With many “Leave” supporters in the Conservative party he decided to take a gamble by organizing a referendum that would have put to rest his opponents.

In retrospect, this once perceived calculated risk underestimated the power of direct democracy that often involves non rational factors. Sometimes in politics you lose … in a major way.

This article was originally published on LinkedIn.

Research, thoughts and opinions are my own. For more information please visit my professional websites: kartlad.info and konttent.com.