Publication

This brief compares and contrasts Britain’s messy 1947 retreat from the Indian subcontinent with what is proving to be an equally messy 2016 Brexit. In the case of their similarities, the text’s author reminds us that Indian independence led to the breaking away of Pakistan, just as the recent UK vote may reinvigorate the Scottish drive for independence. Additionally, Britain’s 1947 departure set the stage for a vast migration that ultimately involved up 14 million people. A Brexit-driven, large-scale movement of peoples may now happen again, albeit not on the same scale. Yes, it’s all rather messy indeed.