Edward Tenner on the British Riots

Monday, August 29th, 2011

If widespread poverty, inequality, youth unemployment, and misery produce riots, as they “plausibly” just did in England, why was there no comparable violence in the 1930s?, Edward Tenner asks.

Of all the changes since then, he decides to focus on television and Tory cuts:

While Tory leaders have often preached 19th-century self-improvement, the Cameron government broke with that tradition by cutting back funding of the clubs and libraries that were supposed to guide the poor to middle-class values. Television-presented bling plus persistent unemployment were the fuel, and Mr. Cameron’s policies were the spark. Does he propose to return to the days of radio news readers in dinner jackets and black tie, a Reith policy to put them in the proper mood?

Really? Cutting back funding for libraries?

Comments

  1. Al says:

    If widespread poverty, inequality, youth unemployment, and misery produce riots, as they “plausibly” just did in England, why was there no comparable violence in the 1930s?

    Because the present generation has been taught that they have a right to wealth, equality, employment, and happiness. The Englishmen of the 1930s had lived through the Depression and then had to fight WWII. They were tough people. It’s the same for the US. Compared to my parents, I’m a wimp. I’ve had it too easy.

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