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The impact of globalization and Europeanization on the societal foundations of Brexit

  • Stefan A. Schirm
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Turning Points
This chapter is in the book Turning Points

Abstract

How and why did a society’s ideas and interests concerning international economic integration shape politicians’ nation-centered policy (NCP) preferences? Which form of critical junctures and turning points contributed to strengthening demands for NCP? I argue that the traditional LIO, globalization and economic regionalization had two core adverse effects on large segments of Western societies, which triggered socioeconomic divisions and rising support for NCP. First, the liberalization of finance and trade in the framework of international organizations like the WTO and EU contributed to economic losses and gains that increased inequality of income distribution. This has alienated voters that materially lost or only gained little and de-legitimized international integration in the eyes of voters who grew ideationally discontent with inequality. Second, the increasing powers of seemingly opaque and non-accountable multilateral bureaucracies and rules have left many voters with the impression of heteronomy and loss of control. These effects of international economic integration have prompted some parties and politicians to grasp discontent and advocate a more nation-centered course, especially in liberal market economies with weak compensation for economic inequality, such as in the United Kingdom. Following the Societal Approach, these arguments will be examined regarding UK’s Brexit decision.

Abstract

How and why did a society’s ideas and interests concerning international economic integration shape politicians’ nation-centered policy (NCP) preferences? Which form of critical junctures and turning points contributed to strengthening demands for NCP? I argue that the traditional LIO, globalization and economic regionalization had two core adverse effects on large segments of Western societies, which triggered socioeconomic divisions and rising support for NCP. First, the liberalization of finance and trade in the framework of international organizations like the WTO and EU contributed to economic losses and gains that increased inequality of income distribution. This has alienated voters that materially lost or only gained little and de-legitimized international integration in the eyes of voters who grew ideationally discontent with inequality. Second, the increasing powers of seemingly opaque and non-accountable multilateral bureaucracies and rules have left many voters with the impression of heteronomy and loss of control. These effects of international economic integration have prompted some parties and politicians to grasp discontent and advocate a more nation-centered course, especially in liberal market economies with weak compensation for economic inequality, such as in the United Kingdom. Following the Societal Approach, these arguments will be examined regarding UK’s Brexit decision.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Preface V
  3. About the Editors VII
  4. Contents IX
  5. Introduction: Turning Points, Typology, and Puzzles 1
  6. I Pushing Back Globalisation? Brexit and Trump
  7. The impact of globalization and Europeanization on the societal foundations of Brexit 17
  8. Brexit: From ever closer union to differentiated integration? 35
  9. The American public and Trump’s trade war with China 53
  10. Digitalization, Trumpismo, and the end of the liberal world order? 75
  11. II Challenging the World Order? China, Russia, and Ukraine
  12. The end of the age of military intervention: Liberal interventionism and global order since the end of the Cold War 99
  13. Crowding out the West? China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the Asian infrastructure investment bank 117
  14. American renewal or decline? The Biden administration, Europe, and the invasion of Ukraine 143
  15. III Calling for Social Change? Norms and Practices
  16. A tipping point in feminist foreign policy in Europe? A constructivist analysis based on the norm life cycle model 169
  17. The turning point that was not: The Arab Spring, realism, and the circularity of Western policies toward the Arab world 189
  18. Emerging and fading practices in the era of the internet: A reflexive approach to analysing intelligence professionals’ changing practices of data collection 209
  19. IV Changing Frozen Policies? Migration, Health, and Lobbying
  20. The 2015 refugee situation as a turning point? Migration- and integration-related debates in the German Bundestag 233
  21. COVID-19 as a potential turning point in German health policy 257
  22. Obstacles on the path to lobbying transparency in Europe: Assessing the German turning point at the end of the Merkel era 279
  23. V Dealing with Crises? Leadership and Market
  24. Re-regulating the European high-tech capitalism? The EU’s digitalization strategy at a turning point after the COVID-19 pandemic 311
  25. The Social Market Economy and institutional development: Change in times of crisis 335
  26. VI Reflecting on Uncertainty? Epistemics and Critique
  27. The emergent discourse on global threats and risks: An analysis of the contemporary empirical evidence extant in scientific journals 351
  28. On the precipice of the unknown: Discussing the paradigm of uncertainty as a political challenge to Western democracies 383
  29. Index 407
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111272900-002

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Preface V
  3. About the Editors VII
  4. Contents IX
  5. Introduction: Turning Points, Typology, and Puzzles 1
  6. I Pushing Back Globalisation? Brexit and Trump
  7. The impact of globalization and Europeanization on the societal foundations of Brexit 17
  8. Brexit: From ever closer union to differentiated integration? 35
  9. The American public and Trump’s trade war with China 53
  10. Digitalization, Trumpismo, and the end of the liberal world order? 75
  11. II Challenging the World Order? China, Russia, and Ukraine
  12. The end of the age of military intervention: Liberal interventionism and global order since the end of the Cold War 99
  13. Crowding out the West? China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the Asian infrastructure investment bank 117
  14. American renewal or decline? The Biden administration, Europe, and the invasion of Ukraine 143
  15. III Calling for Social Change? Norms and Practices
  16. A tipping point in feminist foreign policy in Europe? A constructivist analysis based on the norm life cycle model 169
  17. The turning point that was not: The Arab Spring, realism, and the circularity of Western policies toward the Arab world 189
  18. Emerging and fading practices in the era of the internet: A reflexive approach to analysing intelligence professionals’ changing practices of data collection 209
  19. IV Changing Frozen Policies? Migration, Health, and Lobbying
  20. The 2015 refugee situation as a turning point? Migration- and integration-related debates in the German Bundestag 233
  21. COVID-19 as a potential turning point in German health policy 257
  22. Obstacles on the path to lobbying transparency in Europe: Assessing the German turning point at the end of the Merkel era 279
  23. V Dealing with Crises? Leadership and Market
  24. Re-regulating the European high-tech capitalism? The EU’s digitalization strategy at a turning point after the COVID-19 pandemic 311
  25. The Social Market Economy and institutional development: Change in times of crisis 335
  26. VI Reflecting on Uncertainty? Epistemics and Critique
  27. The emergent discourse on global threats and risks: An analysis of the contemporary empirical evidence extant in scientific journals 351
  28. On the precipice of the unknown: Discussing the paradigm of uncertainty as a political challenge to Western democracies 383
  29. Index 407
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