Failing society must share blame for anarchy on the streets

DOES Margaret Thatcher have a shadow? (Letters, Yorkshire Post, August 10).

The former Prime Minister sucked the life and goodness out of the country and could be compared to a modern-day Count Dracula.

Remember her infamous statement where she concluded that there was no such thing as society?

Through Press and television we are graphically shown Thatcherism in action. Scenes of mob rule, where yobs and criminals looted and pillaged cities to further selfish desires regardless of their debt to society – a society, which like Lady Thatcher, they do not recognise.

We have watched horrifying pictures of young people showing arrogant disregard for the rules of civilisation, rules so necessary for decent people to live side by side, supporting each other and respecting each other.

Margaret Thatcher does not recognise such a society, she believes that only the strong should survive. The mobs who have demonstrated their strengths this week – along with the greedy bankers who are still awarding themselves disgusting salary increases and bonuses – are indeed the “children of Thatcher”.

From: I Stafford, Harwood Close, Wakefield.

THE Prime Minister warned rioters that they ‘will face the full force of the law’ (Yorkshire Post August 10).

We now find out exactly what that means in Cameron’s Britain as the first two rioters to be jailed receive sentences of just 16 weeks and 10 weeks; sentences which no doubt will be halved for good behaviour. How those taking part in the looting and violence must be quaking in their boots at the thought of suffering such harsh penalties. Hardly the deterrent which most people would think is merited for this kind of behaviour.

From: Rodney Atkinson, Meadowfield Road, Stocksfield, Northumberland

Who failed to educate and train the rioters? The State.

Who has lost control of debt and taxed the job creators? The State.

Who has provided the social funds for doing nothing so that over a million east Europeans could find jobs in the home of the jobless rioters? The State. Who signed the European Agreements which allowed the uncontrolled migration of competing workers from economies where costs make a poor British wage a very attractive Polish wage? The State.

Who debased the currency so that the savings of poor families and the pensions from a life time of work don’t amount to a row of beans? The State.

Who claims to bring the “full force of the law” while having no room in prisons and applying farcically low real sentences? The State. Who has taxed the people “until the pips squeeak” while actually lowering taxes on corporations which, while seeing no demand for their products, have never been so cash rich? The State.

Why, after so much state “help”, does the State continue to expand and the assets controlled by the people it has “helped” decline?

From: Malcolm Naylor, Grange View, Otley

TO pretend that the credit crunch, tax increases, service cuts and inequality have nothing to do with the riots is Establishment claptrap.

Yes, there are other factors but the underlying environment in which this has taken place is one of the repeated failures of capitalism. In short it is avarice, acquisitiveness, inequality and greed.

Those involved in the riots are often inarticulate and give a poor account of their motives. When the billionaires flaunt their wealth and use it to pervert democracy, using money as the lever of unequal power, the effects on the disadvantaged reaches boiling point.

One step to end inequality would be a maximum income related to the minimum pay. Not only would this correct dissatisfaction but also solve cuts in social provision at a stroke.

From: Paul Emsley, Hellifield.

I BELIEVE that there is a law in place, that looters can be shot, if caught in the act. So shoot them.

There is no current punishment suitable for rioters, looters and anarchists, whose wanton acts could maim and kill innocent people. So put them down.