Predicting a material riot.

The present distressing scenes of rioting and looting across the country are a particularly British phenomenon. Rioting in these lands has a long history, whereas revolution does not. From the Peasants' Revolt in 1371 to the present events, riots have taken place at regular intervals.

There is always a cause to a riot. In 1371 the peasants marched on London to protest against a range of economic grievances, including a poll tax that had been imposed on them by an unpopular king. In the centuries that followed poverty and injustice would often be the spark for riots; indeed in the late 1980s there would be another mass riot against another poll tax. Other causes (less noble, I suppose) were racial conflict and xenophobia, as seen against the Irish in the Victorian era and the race riots of the 1960s and 1970s.

The present riots were supposedly triggered by a police shooting, but that is not behind the mass rioting that has taken place these last few nights. Most of the media and politicians are describing it as simple opportunistic criminality, and they are probably right. However, there still must be a cause. What makes people seek to destroy their own community? These young people (nearly all male) have, it seems, no stake in their community, or care for its future. It is vandalism on a big scale.

If the problem is to be solved the question of deep alienation to society on the part of these individuals must be addressed. My feeling, based on some experience, is that a critical mass of young males together will provide the 'group security' to 'kick off' and riot. Yet rioting in Britain in 2011 is not about seeking redress of grievances for their community, rather it is an expression of individual frustration, and greed. The fact that the action takes place in groups should not makes us think it is a call for help on behalf of that community. Indeed, the targeting of high status shops such as sports wear and electronics (ignoring the book shops) makes these riots almost linked to our consumerist society.

History has judged some riots as noble expressions of discontent against an overbearing authority; I suspect that the judgement of these disturbances will be less favourable.