The 2016 Brexit referendum was a defining moment in British and European history, signaling the United Kingdom’s (UK) intention to leave the European Union (EU). However, while motivations and EU dynamics have been thoroughly discussed in the political and academic sphere, the mythical forces behind Britain’s decision to leave the EU are often overlooked. From wars and invasions to ancient gods and heroism, this article explores the impact of imperial myths that underpin and fuel Brexit.
The Prevalence of Brexit
Brexit – a portmanteau of ‘Britain’ and ‘exit’ – has become part of the UK’s political vernacular. According to a 2020 survey, 45% of Brits say they still back Leave (the side of the referendum vote that supported Brexit) while 32% say they still back Remain (the side that wanted to remain part of the EU). The survey reveals that Brexit’s impact remains deeply divided across UK society.
Seeking a Return to Power
At the heart of Brexit are nostalgic imperial ambitions that hark back to a time of British dominance on a global scale. These imperial ambitions fed the pre-EU referendum Brexit discourse, with Leave campaigners oft-championing the UK’s imperial past and the associated perception of ‘Britishness’. The message of a ‘return to greatness’ inherent in this rhetoric was designed to inspire nostalgia for a past era of British predominance and strategically reel in votes.
Legacies of Imperialism
However, the imperial legacy that Leave Campaigners invoked during the lead up to Brexit is complicated: while a narrative of British heroism, exploration and victory proliferates popular culture, Britain’s imperial legacy is integral to an analysis of Brexit that often goes unacknowledged. Britain’s imperial history is rooted in regime change, war and invasion and various tactics of domination. Prominent imperial legacies have helped drive Brexit today; rhetoric around the UK’s military prowess and its hereditary ‘right’ to rule has been recurring themes of Brexit campaigns and debates.
Darker Realities Unveiled
The darker realities of the UK’s imperial past are often overlooked in the mainstream Brexit narrative. This is understandable, given the propagation of imperial myths around the British Isles that paint the UK in a glorified light. For example, the bombing of Dresden in 1945, Operation Cyclone in Afghanistan (1979-1989) or the invasions of Iraq (2003) and Libya (2011). have all been omitted from the Leave Campaign’s rhetoric. These omissions have allowed imperial myths to proliferate, while painting the UK as a ‘benevolent’ Empire.
Propaganda and the Power of Myth
Critics of the Vote Leave campaign have accused it of effective ‘propaganda’ by launching campaigns such as the ‘Vote Leave Bus’ and ‘Battle Bus’. These campaigns were designed to convince Remainers that a return to a ‘glorious’ imperial past was within grasp, if only Britain left the EU. In this vein, many commentators have noted that Brexit was as much about ‘romantic notions of Britishness’ as it was about EU governance. This means that Brexit was as much driven by ‘myth-making’ as it was by tangible facts.
The Mythic Narrative Behind Brexit
The motivation behind a large chunk of Brexit voters is not one rooted in economic analysis or technicalities of EU governance. It is a thinly veiled cultural and social narrative of a return to empire; a certain pride and sense of ‘Britishness’ that is inextricably intertwined with Britain’s imperial past, of military prowess and ‘proud’ conquest. In this vein, Brexit is, among other things, a noisy and passionate rebellion against a mythical decline of Britain’s former imperial grandeur.
A Magnified Sense of Britishness
Indeed, the referendum results were almost a direct representation of the cultural divide that exists in the UK. Older generations who remember the era of British global power, were most likely to successfully evoke a sense of national pride from imperial reinforcement, and strongly voted leave. Factors such those that drove imperial Brexit are not limited to the UK; other countries, such as France and the US, have their own imperial histories, often triggering similar romanticised retellings of the past and a sense of national pride.
The Brexit referendum put into sharp relief the enduring imperial myths that exist in the UK, and how these myths have shaped the political conversation. From military victories to a magnified sense of British pride, the imperial legacy in the UK has been deeply entrenched in the Brexit debate. As Britain continues to chart its course away from the EU, it is important to be aware of the complex motivations at play and the power of imperial legends to inform the broader political climate.