In his A History of the English-Speaking Peoples, Winston Churchill wrote:

Every nation or group of nations has its own tale to tell. Knowledge of the trials and struggles is necessary to all who would comprehend the problems, perils, challenges, and opportunities which confront us today... It is in the hope that contemplation of the trials and tribulations of our forefathers may not only fortify the English-speaking peoples of today, but also play some small part in uniting the whole world, that I present his account.

Winston Churchill wanted the United Kingdom’s historic experiences and contributions to play a role in “uniting the whole world.” That purpose, which transcended national borders, defined part of the vision that animated Churchill’s extraordinary leadership. It helped fuel his remarkable and courageous perseverance during the darkest days of World War II.

Some sixty years after Churchill’s four-volume work was published, the night of June 23, 2016 was long, dark, and sad. With no Winston Churchill to face down the dark and fearful forces unleashed by Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson, two of a number of populist demagogues who have appeared on the world stage at this point in the 21st century, just under 52% of the United Kingdom’s voters decided to disengage from Europe. They abandoned Winston Churchill’s larger vision of uniting the world in, among other things, the enlightened principles that first appeared in the Magna Carta and were later expanded upon in the English Bill of Rights of 1689.

The vote took place in the context of a persistently struggling European economy, considerable uncertainty about the United Kingdom’s economic prospects, anxiety about its place in the world, and worries about secular trends that are reshaping job and career opportunities. All of this provided unusually fertile ground for demagogues who pursue power through national division. Lacking leadership capacity and solutions for addressing contemporary challenges, they shift blame for those challenges onto immigrants and religious minorities. To rationalize their pursuit of power, they discredit governing institutions and leaders. To rally voters, they peddle the snake oil of physical, economic, and legal barriers, all of which make it more difficult for nations to realize their opportunities while doing little to address their problems.

In many ways, the Brexit fight was an uneven one from the onset. That the Bank of England and International Monetary Fund warned of significant adverse economic consequences from a Brexit vote was not enough to overcome the appeal of the darker forces backing exit. Those forces commanded the proverbial high ground on account of their being able to exploit raw passion.

People respond strongly to fear and anxiety through emotion. They react instinctively and abruptly to escape their fears. When anger is added to the toxic brew of fear and anxiety, there is explosive potential for overreaction and irrational choices—the kind of decision that was made yesterday.

In stark contrast, the kind of evidence-based arguments on which the “Remain” side’s case rested require thoughtful deliberation to have impact. Such deliberation weighs trade-offs and evaluates alternative scenarios. Building commitment requires a lot of time. Only at the end of the deliberative process can strongly-held positions emerge and decisive action become possible.

Time ran out. Last night’s outcome saw emotion triumph over reason, excess over moderation, and the current moment over future consequence. As a result, the United Kingdom and European Union will be grappling with the fallout, perhaps for years to come. Both may wind up fundamentally changed, and not necessarily for the better. Although just under 52% of those who cast ballots may have chosen Brexit for themselves, in their short-sighted choice, they may have imposed national breakup on all of the United Kingdom’s residents.

Following the end of World War II, Winston Churchill declared, “Strength is granted to us all when we are needed to serve great causes.” Sadly, there was no leader who possessed the kind of strength to which Churchill had referred. As a result, at the precise moment history served up a new great cause for the United Kingdom, a slight majority of its voters failed that test. That is not the tale Winston Churchill would have wanted to tell. For that I am profoundly saddened.