The UK and Brexit

Intro: 

EU and the British flag

The UK is experiencing a large amount of division over the political aspects of Globalism v. Nationalism. The argument at its roots is finding the balance between nation-state sovereignty and global nation-state treaties and organizations. Support of nationalism and globalism by UK citizens is geographically divided between Rural and Urban areas. Rural areas have more nationalist beliefs. Urban areas have more Globalist beliefs. There are several reasons for this: Different educational funding, land ownership in rural areas, and economic differences between rural and urban communities. 

Education:

UK educational poll on the EU. 

Education in the UK has four main checkpoints: Primary, secondary, further education, and higher education. Primary and secondary education is mandatory.

Researchers at the University of Leicester say that had just 3 percent more of the population gone to university, the UK would probably not be leaving the EU. 

Land Ownership:

Cities with more wealth were more likely to vote to remain in the EU. Middle-class and lower-income rural areas hold nationalist tendencies. Land and house ownership for the older British population has been increasing. Older populations vote for more nationalist policies such as Brexit. 

Economic Differences Between Rural and Urban Communities:

Election results of 2017 and 2019 with comparison. 

    Vanishing industry in the North and rural poverty in the Southwest caused British citizens to take on Nationalist stances. People clinging to middle-class lifestyles in the suburbs of once-great cities increasingly align to Nationalism and conservative parties in general. Nationalism has ties with anti-immigration stances and protectionism for the nation and its citizens. Elections in the UK increasingly show a divide between urban and rural centers.  

Brexit: 

Brexit Results

Brexit showcases all of the variables; Different educational funding, A sense of owning land in rural areas, and a division of economies in rural and urban communities. Urban centers generally attract higher educated populations. Land owning and economic differences between rural and urban areas contribute to polarization on the topic. 

Scotland: 

Scotland Airport Welcome sign 

The debate between nationalism and globalism is highlighted in the Brexit event. The sentiments about leaving the EU are very different when looking at Scotland. Scotland has a demographic challenge and is heavily reliant on immigration to provide a workforce. Without immigration, the economy of Scotland would slip into a depression.  

Conclusion:

The UK is experiencing a large amount of division over the political aspects of Globalism v. Nationalism. The argument at its roots is finding the balance between nation-state sovereignty and global nation-state treaties and organizations. Support for nationalism and globalism, by UK citizens, is geographically divided between Rural and Urban areas. Rural areas have more nationalist beliefs. Urban areas have more Globalist beliefs. Educational funding, a sense of owning land in rural areas, and differences between economies in rural and urban communities, drive polarization on the topic. Further research on life choices could create a more clear picture of why, geographically, The debate of globalism v. nationalism has rural and urban strongholds. 

Sources:
Calhoun, Craig. “POPULISM, NATIONALISM AND BREXIT.” Brexit: Sociological Responses, edited by William Outhwaite, Anthem Press, London; New York, 2017, pp. 57–76. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1kft8cd.8. Accessed 10 Mar. 2021.
Aihua Zhang, New Findings on Key Factors Influencing the UK’s Referendum on (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305750X17302474)
Stone, Jon. Did Homeowners CAUSE BREXIT? 19 June 2019, www.centreforcities.org/blog/did-homeowners-cause-brexit/. 
Department, Published by Statista Research, and Jun 20. “Brexit Votes by Education Level 2016.” Statista, 20 June 2016, www.statista.com/statistics/572613/eu-referendum-decision-by-highest-educational-attainment-uk/. 
VAN REENEN, JOHN. “Brexit’s Long-Run Effects on the U.K. Economy.” Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, 2016, pp. 367–383. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/90000441. Accessed 11 Mar. 2021.
Sampson, Thomas. “Brexit: The Economics of International Disintegration.” The Journal of Economic Perspectives, vol. 31, no. 4, 2017, pp. 163–184. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/44425386. Accessed 11 Mar. 2021.
Leaving the EU, World Development, Volume 102, 2018, Pages 304-314, ISSN 0305-750X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2017.07.017.