Global Britons in a Westless world
Jasper Newport considers Britain’s future in a global, post-Brexit world.
Whether a member of the tail end of Generation Y or the vanguard of Generation Z, it’s fairly likely that you’ll agree we’ve had a lot dumped on us by the tides of recent history. One uniquely British dumping is the fateful decision of the UK’s government and people to leave the EU: Brexit! We have now left the European Union, and it is time to focus upon making the best of this unfortunate situation, particularly considering the momentous global shifts currently taking place.
It is worth having a brief discussion about how we got here. After three excruciating, inert years, the Brexit referendum ended on the 12th of December, 2019. While I was, and will remain to be, a supporter of the losing side, I must admit that the election result was in many ways a relief. While Johnson’s government is (extremely) far from perfect, somebody finally answered the Cameron-era question “did we really just do that?” As it turns out, we did. Two months later, we’re out and faint memories of prorogation and Corbyn are fading fast. Despite the fact of our exit, the Brexit discussion has yet to catch up, still focussed upon what led to the result and what we should think about it. Books such as Jonathan Coe’s Middle England and heated Facebook discussions with in-laws are important, both to acclimatise to the new political landscape and to try and reach consensus over our national identity. However, I can’t help but feel it’s missing a crucial element: what we need to do to make a success out of it.
To consider our post-EU future, we must consider the wider world that we are throwing ourselves into. If there’s one important concept to grasp, it’s “Westlessness”, the theme of this year’s high-profile Munich Security Conference, the most important annual meeting of international security leaders and thinkers. This year, Europeans and Americans uncomfortably looked out at the wider world and realised that they no longer rule the roost. Gone are the days when the globe can be neatly divided into blocks of patronage by different Western superpowers, and soon will be gone the days where the West can even claim to be the most developed region on the planet. The world as a whole is pulling away from colonial patterns of power, with India and China dominating forecasts for future superpower status.
This should come as no surprise, as for thousands of years, the global economy was firmly centred on the Asian coastline, which is natural enough considering most people lived there. Now, free from colonial intrusion and imperial repression, global wealth is shifting back. Some statistics help to put the implications of this in context: in 2015 alone, China used more concrete in construction than the US used in the last century. India, long seen as a place of poverty, has sextupled the size of its economy since 2000, while the UK economy has barely grown that much since the death of Queen Victoria. Global power no longer lies in Western hands, and global attention will not focus upon us after the transition period comes to a close. To make a success out of Brexit, we will have to let go of anachronistic views of the world as Britain’s oyster and focus on where real global change is happening.
In a “Westless” world, we will have to fight an uphill battle to remain relevant, prosperous, and powerful, and our generation has a key part to play. As a country, we have not had such a small slice of global influence and power since the early 1700s, and in the 21st century it should come as no surprise that the tools used to empower Georgian Britain, exploitative colonialism and imperialism, cannot and should not be used. For all the patriotic bluster that accompanies Brexit news, as a nation we are increasingly able to be bullied into line by modern superpowers: how else can our silence over the plight of Hong Kong be explained, or the removal of our ambassador in Washington for daring to express private critique of President Trump?
To avoid fading into global obscurity and subtle vassalage as the new sick man of Europe, we must confidently and purposefully go out into the new world and forge ourselves a place. By “we”, I am referring specifically to our generation, currently at university and looking anxiously as politicians 50 years our senior decide the course of our future. We should accept that this will continue at least until the next election, and begin to act for ourselves and our own futures. There are currently 1.9 million British students, representing an immense body of specialised knowledge in everything from computing to Cantonese. In a world where human capital is ever more valuable, where the price of data outstrips oil, and where global connections are easier than ever to create and maintain, this should not be underestimated.
How can we begin to build a “Global Britain”? Firstly, we must improve our language skills. Two-thirds of the UK population admits to having no language skills beyond English, a deficiency that is already estimated by the Department of Business to be costing us £48 billion annually. Considering the extensive opportunities for linguistic education in Britain, not to mention the example of other European countries such as Sweden, where only 3% of people are monolingual, it is clear we can and should do better. The arrogant excuse that “everyone speaks English” is not good enough: learning another language demonstrates a commitment to engage with the outside world, and allows Britons to build partnerships with developing economies such as Brazil and India that go beyond simple buy-sell conversations.
Secondly, we must consider living and working abroad in the next stages of our lives. It is true that the internet has eliminated distance as a barrier to communication, but this is no substitute to actually living in a different culture, experiencing new societies and learning the rhythms of foreign shores. To live abroad not only provides an exciting challenge for us as individuals, but undoubtedly will be key in constructing a new role for Britain. If we can be part of more global conversations, understand more people and get more feet in more doors, there is no reason the post-Brexit century cannot be one of success. While other countries do have a sad pub deficiency, leaving our island gives us the chance to draw attention back to the UK.
If we take responsibility for the construction of a “global Britain”, we can ensure that this new chapter will be beneficial both internationally and at home. Internationally, we must transition from a moulding ex-superpower to refocus upon setting a good example and championing causes we believe to be right. We can do this, as evidenced by innovative government commitments on climate change and new movements such as Extinction Rebellion. In an age where authoritarianism is rising in China, India, and even on the frontiers of Europe, simply continuing to uphold democratic ideals and accountable governance should not be underestimated.
As for our own society, we must embrace global lifestyles and welcome migration, new culture and new partners, refusing to allow the shady image of the “foreigner” to obscure problems of our own making. At every opportunity possible, we should cultivate interest and curiosity in the wider world, and show the world that we are open for business. We need to recognise what our elders did not, the long-term must be considered first and foremost. It is our responsibility to leave our country and our world better than we found it.
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