Evaluating Various Issues in Contemporary Politics (Essay Sample)

EVALUATING VARIOUS ISSUES IN CONTEMPORARY POLITICS
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Part One: Europe and the European Union
The United Kingdom first became a European Union member, previously known as the European Community, in 1973. The UK operated under the union's laws over several decades. However, in 2016, the UK decided to withdraw from the EU through a referendum. According to Norton (2020), its membership in the European Union created a constitutional situation that took politicians a long period to understand and adapt. Unfortunately, the withdrawal from the union led to a constitutional crisis and a further conflict between the UK and one of its states, Scotland. Therefore, the move brought danger to the United Kingdom members.
In June 2016, it was in the UK's national interest to disassociate itself with the EU. This is because the nation had suffered various challenges under the union. For instance, it had been forced to transfer its law-making power to supranational institutions (Norton, 2020).
The United Kingdom was also coerced to practice common law with other member states such as Germany. In addition, all its courts were required to send a judicial notice to the European Union court on any decision they made. It was further denied the right to decide the question of law. Under Acts of 1973, the EU court was given the above mandate for all European Union member states (Norton, 2020).
Besides, even though the UK was a net contributor to the EU, it benefited less compared to other member states. After making contributions, the funds were distributed across Europe to ensure a level playing ground for developing nations (Nicola, 2020). While the donations increased yearly, the UK got nothing in return. For instance, the amount contributed rose from £2.7 billion in 2008 to £11.3 billion in 2013. However, the UK never benefited from this increase. This was a good reason for the UK to exit the EU.
From the 2016 referendum results, it was clear that many UK citizens were against leaving the EU. It is estimated that 16.2 million individuals had voted for the UK not to exit the union. Comparatively, 17.4 million preferred leaving the bloc. Thus, the gap between the two groups was about 1.2 million voters. This small margin shows how this poll was highly contested. Moreover, the referendum results supported the notion that the voting outcome in the UK is driven by the long-standing fundamental determinants such as education levels that make it hard to deal with social and economic changes (Nicola, 2020).
On the other hand, Boris Johnson was right that devolution has been a disaster and may have been the Blair government's biggest mistake. This is because politicians use it in their attempt to break the UK from other member states such as Scotland (BBC, 2020). Generally, devolution should be used to empower businesses and local communities to better their lives. Unfortunately, most UK politicians use it in ways that hinder most citizens and their families from accessing opportunities and having the good quality of life they all deserve.
It is now in the interest of Scotland to secede from the UK. The country will be economically better than it is when it withdraws from the United Kingdom. Moreover, Scotland's independence will give it the right to join or establish its domestic institutions. However, if it fails to secede from the UK, it will then be in its interest to re-join the EU. As a member of the European Union, Scotland and its citizens will regain all membership responsibilities and rights it lost due to Brexit (Steven, 2016). Additionally, Scottish people will enjoy the freedom of movement. The country will also re-join custom unions and become part of the single EU market. Besides, businesses from this state will benefit from frictionless trade.
The UK government should enable its citizens to understand what politicians ignore when they push for Scotland's freedom. Doing so will help prevent the country's secession. There are high chances that its economy will suffer losses when it separates from the UK. According to economists, the country will lose £11 billion every year when it leaves the United Kingdom. However, the UK has a right to deny Scotland the freedom to be independent. According to the constitution, a state has only the right to secede if it is suffering any form of abuse. This has not been the case with Scotland. Therefore, the UK can constitutionally deny this country the right to leave.
Part Two: Higher Education in England
The higher education funding and support for English students have been changing over the decades. Various ministries and politicians are constantly reviewing the reforms. Most changes are in learners' financial systems. For instance, in 1998,