Where Reform Is Really Needed

As the British debate how to address the causes of the looting spree that wracked British cities, they risk missing the point. The left thinks that any cuts to support for the rioting class would essentially justify more riots. The right thinks that the support has enabled the rioting. While I'm far more sympathetic to the latter line of thinking than the former, answering that question is the most important task that Britain has (and yes, we have the same problem here--although the paralysis is not as deep).

No, the British elites need to reform:

Although last week’s riots in Britain were not blamed on any one cultural group, they did represent a general fraying of civilization’s social compact. I am not going to try to explain what caused Britain’s riots. There are thousands of sociologists only too eager to offer explanations for the indefensible behavior of thousands of British youths. What is obvious, however, is that the spread of multiculturalism has weakened the governing classes’ ability to cope with attacks on the very underpinnings of our civilization. Convinced that no culture is superior to another, they are equally convinced that no civilization is better than any other. It is but a short step from this point to seeing nothing worth defending in the civilization that has nourished us to greatness.

The British rioters were not possessed of any noble goals. Rather, their fixed purpose was to destroy or take the property of others. And they were prepared to use violence, up to and including murder, to accomplish that. But what is truly troubling is the fact that Britain’s political leaders allowed them to get away with it for five full days. Worse, many commentators, while condemning the violence, told us in the very next sentence that, given the socioeconomic conditions of the rioters, their anger was understandable. No, it was not. And even if their anger were understandable, their actions would still be wrong.

The elites are the problem. That is clear.

If Britain's elites are willing to excuse the sacking of their own cities, why should the looters have second thoughts about what they did? Or hesitate to do it again if they get the opportunity?

If the elites won't defend what society has built over generations and even centuries, the looters will eventually burn it all down. Oh sure, the grandchildren of the looters will learn to build again, but the looters and their children (and those of their enabling elites and those caught in the crossfire) will live through a Dark Age before civilization starts to claw its way back.

Those tourist attraction castles scattered about Britain might become functional again.

UPDATE: In what world does this make sense??!! (and again, a tip to Instapundit)