A Historical Study of the Origins of Brexit

Abstract

The central objective of this dissertation is to examine the reasons and the circumstances that led to Brexit. The British have never considered themselves Europeans. Since WWII, Britain has always been described as the awkward partner of the European Union. She refused to join the Union in its first years, only to be humiliated by the French veto before the 1973 accession. The 1975 referendum, the rebate negotiations of 1979 and the opt-out of the Maastricht Treaty of 1992 show that the British hostility towards the European Union didn‟t change. Furthermore, Britain preferred to be closer to the Americans rather than the Europeans, especially after the 9/11 US Attacks. Later on, the UK independence party (UKIP) called for a complete exit from the Union providing plenty of arguments and promising a better independent United Kingdom. Therefore, the party was supported by a great number of Eurosceptics. As a result, the Conservative government of David Cameron succumbed to deep-seated desires and held an in-out referendum on the 23rd June 2016. The people chose to leave the EU and Britain gained her sovereignty back.