EU and UK politics [OT]

[Tober]

When it comes to civil unrest/uprising. I think we need to distinguish between the fuel and the spark.

Usually when something like this happens people zoom in on the spark. Media certainly does. In the UK situation it's pointed out that the cause is that populist made claims that angered people in such a way, that it got out of hand. In other words it's all the blame of the populist rhetoric.

But the rootcause is not the spark. The rootcause is that the tinderbox was fueled up. If this spark did not happen, another one would. Perhaps a week later, a month, a year. But it would have happened regardless.

Almost in every case it's that people believe they are disenfranchised and left behind by their (elected) government, is what is what is causing the tinderbox to fuel up. This usually takes years. People express their concerns. Government does not listen either by choice or ineptitude. Temperature is rising. This is a leadership problem.

And then a spark happens and it's chaos.

To address this in a meaningful way is to look at the fuel. Why is the temperature is rising.

I'm Dutch, strong population growth in the past years is putting a lot of stress on our systems. Most of that growth is from migration. Housing cannot keep up, especially in the affordable sectors. Making it more and more difficult for low/medium income groups to find a home they can buy or rent. Waiting list for social housing is getting out of control.

Migration centers to handle asylum request are overburdened, making any procedure take ages. Many more are build throughout the country for economic refugees to wait for those procedures to happen, often against the will of the local residents. Small crimes, like theft are increasing in these areas where these migration centers are located. Residents feel less safe.

There is nothing Xenophobic or racist to point out the causality between these problems and the strong influx of population growth through migration. To address these problems is to have an adult conversation, not to label people with genuine concerns Xenophobic or racist. To deny the people to be listened to and refuse to take action is what fuels the tinderbox. Again, this is a leadership problem.