It’s NOT the economy, stupid: Brexit as a story of personal values

The story of the referendum is usually told through geography: areas that had been left behind by globalisation voted to Leave. But this tells us only so much, writes Eric Kaufmann. Knowing where Leave voters live does not, in itself, explain why individuals chose to vote a certain way. Here, he demonstrates the importance of invisible differences between groups, and argues that it was primarily values that motivated voters, not economic inequality.

• Primary Source

ESO: In Focus: Brexit - The United Kingdom and the European Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union/

ESO: Background information: The EU Referendum, 23 June 2016. The United Kingdom and the European Union. The results http://www.europeansources.info/record/the-eu-referendum-23-june-2016-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union-the-results/

ESO: Background information: UK: lost, divided and alone http://www.europeansources.info/record/uk-lost-divided-and-alone/

Blog: Social Europe, 24.08.16: The Lesson From Brexit Is That Too Much Market And Too Little State Invites A Backlash https://www.socialeurope.eu/2016/08/lesson-brexit-much-market-little-state-invites-backlash/

LSE European Institute: EuroppBlog, 06.09.18: Had austerity not happened, Leave support could have been up to 10% lower http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2018/09/06/had-austerity-not-happened-leave-support-could-have-been-up-to-10-lower/

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