Global Times Blames Brexit on Western-Style Democracy

By Bridget O'Donnell

Hot take alert!

Earlier today, the United Kingdom voted in favor of exiting the European Union, a shocking and widely criticized result that led to the abrupt resignation of pro EU Prime Minister David Cameron.

In classic fashion, the Global Times has swooped in to offer opinion aplenty on the #Brexit, with this wonderful editorial from Wang Yiwei, published this morning, lamenting the referendum and Western-style democracy in general.

"Democracy is at its roots the achievement of human political civilization, but today it's become a game to be played," he writes."This is a tragedy."

Wang goes on to say that the vote proves China is going about things the right way, saying: "In terms of productivity, China has won; in terms of resilience, China will win."

Wang, a professor of international relations at Renmin University of China, also criticizes the EU's constant tendency towards ballots and referendums, arguing that they lead to populist hijacking:

Europe has been playing the 'referendum' game, which proves that democracy is hijacked by nationalism and populism, showing more and more negative effects. Under the negative impact of globalization, democracy lacks institutional resilience.

He argues that the referendum will ultimately lead "people [to] lose faith in democracy" and that "democracy's waywardness makes it suspect."

Aaaaand on that note, we'll leave you with this Winston Churchill quote:

Additional reporting by Bailey Hu and Tristin Zhang

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