Bagehot | What would Walter say?

摘要

TO CALL Britain's referendum on Brexit a great act of democracy is both to describe it and to debase the word "democracy". Campaigners traded not hard facts last June but insults to the electorate's intelligence. Remainers foresaw immediate economic Armageddon outside the eu, while Leavers insinuated that millions of scary Muslims would move to Britain if the country stayed in the club. Aspersions were cast on opponents' motives and character. Dodgy statistics were shoved through letterboxes and plastered on the sides of buses. On the big day turnout was mediocre for such an epoch-making decision: the 52% who backed Brexit constituted just 37% of eligible voters.