I am not necessarily suggesting a cause and effect, but with the Lutfur Rahman business back in the news, it is worth mentioning that Britain, specifically London, and very specifically the East End, were almost incomparably more corrupt before mass immigration, or in its very early days, than they are now.
They were also almost incomparably more violent where working-class men, especially but not exclusively, were concerned.
If the Krays and the Richardsons were not "clan-based", then I cannot think of any better term to describe them.
One of the Kray twins was having an affair with a prominent politician who was also sleeping with the Prime Minister's wife, but a newspaper was forced to apologise unreservedly for having mentioned even only the first part of what was that matter of common knowledge among People In The Know.
All backed up by just about the most corrupt Police Force imaginable, which was also just about the most racist Police Force imaginable.
These things were not true only of London.
For example, the endemic corruption of the right-wing Labour Establishment in the North East, and of its Conservative allies both here and in London (where they were curiously let off), was as white as the winter's snow atop the Pennines.
As was the staggering violence to, in and from drinking places that young men, especially, were just expected to accept as a fact of life in the pit villages and the steel towns.
And as was, of course, the extreme domestic, and not uncommon sexual, violence against women, in every part of this country and across all social classes.
That kind of thing is not a product of recent immigration, either.
The view that it was acceptable for a man to beat his wife under certain circumstances was mainstream White British opinion into the 1980s. Not universally held. But perfectly respectable.
In fact, there is every reason to believe that huge numbers of White British men, in every part of this country and across all social classes, remain firmly of that view.
The view that it was acceptable for a man to beat his wife under certain circumstances was mainstream White British opinion into the 1980s. Not universally held. But perfectly respectable.
In fact, there is every reason to believe that huge numbers of White British men, in every part of this country and across all social classes, remain firmly of that view.
You are so right about the Fifties and Sixties, even into the Seventies. London and much of the rest of the country were run by gangsters with politicians and the police on their payrolls or sleeping with them, sometimes both. They always had been. The idea that immigration or whatever corrupted Britain is for those public schoolboys who never became important enough to be corrupted. I doubt even they truly believe it. Britain was always one of the most corrupt countries ever to anybody from any other background. It's all being put back like that now, these are dark days.
ReplyDeleteThe idea that immigration or whatever corrupted Britain is for those public schoolboys who never became important enough to be corrupted.
DeleteNow, that's a good line, a true line, a beautiful line.
You are still in Thomist mode, then?
DeleteAlways.
DeleteThe point about domestic and sexual violence is especially well made. There is no evidence that those things and child sexual exploitation are now recognised as unacceptable almost universally within the White British ethnic group. In every case (domestic violence, sexual violence, CSE) the minority that obviously doesn't see any problem is enormous enough to make that behaviour endemic from the top to the bottom of White British culture and at every point in between. Just like in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Just like always.
ReplyDeleteThank you. You have crystallised something that I have been thinking for quite some time.
DeleteIt is rather like the claim that Donald Trump should be allowed into Britain because everyone would disagree with him, anyway. Oh, no, they would not.
See, likewise, domestic violence at least under certain circumstances, and at least some forms of sexual contact between adults and children at least from about 12 or 13 upwards.
Huge numbers of people, overwhelmingly within the White British ethnic group simply because that is so predominant in general, demonstrably cannot see the problem with either or both of those.
Really quite large numbers, most of whom are again White British, clearly regard even sex with young children as perfectly acceptable.
There is, after all, plenty of it about. While domestic violence and the abuse of adolescents are, as you say, endemic at every level of White British society, and always have been.
Possibly accounts for the Doug Richards verdict.
DeleteI fear so.
Delete