"This is criminality pure and simple and it has to be confronted and defeated."

These are wise words from a prime minister who had left his capital burn for 3 days. It is indicative of the blunt instrument approach that politicians, both Labour and Tory, have towards any form of dissension in recent years.

The violence and pillaging, that has spread through the city, isn’t, as many such incidents aren’t, based simply on one reason but rather on a whole host of sociopolitical and economic factors that culminated in a seething anger which has finally spilled over. I don’t look at this looting and ask why but, instead, why it has taken so long?

The problem with the rapacious nature of the violence is its misdirected force. The feelings which fueled it are based, I believe, on valid grievances. However, that said, one could also argue that this is the only method by which people would sit up and take notice of the opinions of this sector of society. Many of us were involved in demonstrations against the Gulf war and, more recently, the stringent cuts to public sector and the reintroduction of university tuition fees. Despite the large numbers of the electorate who came out to voice its opinion, we were largely ignored. When so many voice concern about an issue, surely the elected representatives are beholden to listen? Unfortunately, this is appears not to be the case.

Instead, we have been presented with a steady stream of cases of abject immorality within public institutions and among politicians, not to mention the cynical behaviour of high earners in the banking sector. In the last few years, people who hold power within the UK have continually been exposed. WMD’s, expenses scandal, phone tapping, corruption at Scotland Yard, racism among the rank and file of the police force (though one could argue that this has never changed) and exorbitant bank bonuses. In each case, these have grabbed the headlines. What was the result? General odium but little change.

We are the ones who bear the brunt. The middle class, of course, march onward, stoically, quietly seething, but, as is the nature of the beast, too scared to really upset the status quo, lest they lose their status. So it falls to others to agitate. Others who have no reason to care about society because it has failed to show them due care in return.

Youths, variously labelled as an underclass, hoodies, layabouts, scum, must now be asking themselves what is in it for them. The government cuts have targeted no section quite as much as those who are already marginalised. Constantly, one is called to become an active member of society, but the very wherewithal to do so has been snatched away. The EMA is cut, you can’t go to college. Get a job! You’re a drain on society. Job cuts across the board, huge unemployment. The lucky few who made it through college before the cuts come into effect are unable to go to university because of the annual tuition fees. Where do you go from here? To whom do you address your issues?

The problem is not the violence, per se. The problem arises from the direction society has chosen to go. I have heard much talk of respect and morality. These are not innate to the human psyche, these are learned. We lack the teachers to instil the lessons.

"Decades of individualism, competition and state-encouraged selfishness – combined with a systematic crushing of unions and the ever-increasing criminalisation of dissent – have made Britain one of the most unequal countries in the developed world." Nina Power, writing for the Guardian.

We are bombarded with images of what we should possess, however, are denied the means by which to own them, maybe that explains in some way the wholesale damage. Why the fuck shouldn’t I help myself to a TV, if that’s the only way I can lay my hands on one?

We all share the blame on this one: apathy on the one hand and neglect on the other.

I have no answer as to how to fix these problems. I can only imagine that it rests on the main issue of inequality which reigns in this society. However, a resolution won’t be pursued anytime soon. In fact, an already marginalised group will more than likely be the target of heavy-handed retaliation, inflamed by pseudo-pious media sensationalism. The longer the violence goes on, the harder the backlash will be. No doubt, today’s youths will be forced to submit. That only means that they’ll carry that grudge into early adulthood, ready to erupt at a later stage.