In 1888 a book by Edward Bellamy, Looking Backward, was published which had an enormous impact at the time. It could even be said that it marked the take-off of modern socialist ideas in America...
So, contrary to what Cameron banked on and what Big Business wanted, Britain is to leave the EU. The Tory leaders of the Brexit campaign, experienced vote-catching politicians that they are, were able to convince enough workers, including many of the worst off, to carry the day.
Whether many of their voters believed their extravagant promises of a rosy future is another matter. Many would have been registering a protest vote against what global capitalism was doing to them. A vote for Remain would have been a vote for this to remain. Which, offered the chance to register an opinion, they could hardly have been expected to endorse. But If they really believed that the EU was responsible for their lot, they misidentified the culprit. As we said in our manifesto for the referendum, ‘The problem is not the EU … it’s capitalism’. As capitalism will continue to exist after Britain withdraws so too will the situation they protested against.
