Former London Mayor Ken Livingstone suggested that the Tottenham riot was fueled by citizens unleashing pent-up resentment over the weak economy, high unemployment rate, and historically deep budget cuts that decrease funding for poor communities in the United Kingdom. “This is the first generation since the Great Depression that have doubts about their future,” he told the BBC. Those same conditions that led to the unrest in the U.K. may apply to the U.S. Eugene White, economics professor at Rutgers University, is an economic historian and expert on the Great Depression. He talks about whether America’s young people share the same bleak outlook that led to the rioting in the U.K.
Alan Cowell, senior correspondent for The New York Times, gives an update from London, where 16,000 police officers were deployed Tuesday night to keep the peace. Looting and arson continued in other major cities.
The story you just read is available to read for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Every day, the reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you: We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.
When you make a gift of $10 or more a month, we’ll invite you to a virtual behind-the-scenes tour of our newsroom to thank you for being with The World.