Even Britain is saying, ‘Stop the world, I want to get off!’

ONLY now are the British starting to realize how epoch-making their apparently casual decision has been, to depart the European Union. Their Leave vote in last fortnight’s Brexit referendum may have damaged beyond repair the continent’s ideal of “One Europe” finally rid of its generational civil wars.

The vote also revealed multiple cleavages beneath the outwardly stable—because hierarchical—United Kingdom. For instance, most young city people voted to stay, while most older, rural people voted to leave.