An apology followed by an explanation

[David Johnson]

First there is an element of confused thinking in these threads re. the causes of the riots.

People seem to believe that saying that there is a link with politics and the scale of the violence is the same as stating that the violence is excusable. These are two completely different issues.

1. Is the violence moronic, stupid, criminal, life threatening, inexcusable and needs to be crushed? Obviously yes it is. Otherwise potentially numbers of innocent people will die.
2. Has politics a part to play in the outbreak of substantial rioting. Obviously yes it has. This is beyond question.

First an apology. There weren't any riots in Zurich and Monte Carlo!!!!!!!! The kids who live in Berkeley Square weren't rioting!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why not I hear you say????????

Well forumites, I imagine it is a long time since you have heard of any full scale rioting, arson and looting across the country in Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden etc. If you look at the number of riots that took place in Britain under Thatcher, you would know that there is a quantum leap difference between the level of rioting in the UK compared to many western Europe countries.

Why is that? Is it because these hoodies have an indepth understanding of Marx and Engels, I hear you say? Obviously not. There is an enormous disparity between rich and poor in Britain which in terms of the major western economies is only exceeded by the US where they have had a few riots themselves over the years.

In many western countries such as Switzerland, Norway etc, you can get by on what is a relatively low paid job reasonably well. IN this country you are stuffed dependent on tax credits, housing benefits etc just to survive at all.

This has resulted over the years in an extreme form of capitalism in which the rich, the Philip Greens of this world can rip off the Inland Revenue at will whilst the poor struggle on the bread line.

Ah I hear you say, we never saw this level of rioting in the UK in the 1930's when poverty was widespread. That is simply because the impact of extreme capitalism is to wear down the bonds of community so that it becomes everyone for themselves. All that matters for a lot of kids is how much money you have and how many cool products do you own.

There is no such thing as community. It is all about people fending for themselves. And hey that's what the moronic, violent kids were doing for themselves last night. Just that their way of fending for themselves is different from the Lord Ashcrofts, Philip Greens, multinational organisations etc. etc.

And this extreme capitalism is even more exacerbated by Tory governments than by Labour ones which is why you see far more of these riots taking place under Tory governments.

Cheers
D