The Volokh Conspiracy

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Federalist Society podcast on Brexit, devolution, and secession

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Brexit

In anticipation of tomorrow's Brexit vote, the Federalist Society has produced up a podcast on Brexit, devolution, and secession. The podcast covers both the pros and cons of secession and devolution generally, and those of Brexit specifically. The participants are Philip Booth of the Institute of Economic Affairs (Britain's leading pro-free market think tank), and myself. Booth is a well-known expert on federalism and decentralization in Britain and the European Union. He is the author of the excellent recent short book, Federal Britain: The Case for Decentralisation.

In this May post, I explained why I am tentatively opposed to Brexit, though I think both sides in the debate have some strong arguments. I have also analyzed the role that political ignorance might play in the Brexit vote. Sadly, widespread public ignorance is an important part of the political landscape in Britain, just as it is in the United States, and many other countries around the world. That said, I believe the opposing sides in the Brexit debate have both made many good points, even if there is also no shortage of bad ones.