Living in complete freedom is the philosophy that is the foundation of anarchism. The rediscovering of the anarchist philosophy inundated the minds of British youth in the 1970s who felt that the British government was suppressing thier freedom with frivolous laws. There are several schools of anarchism such as anarchist-communism, collectivist anarchism, social anarchism, individualist anarchism, and mutualism, which all influenced the explosion of the punk rock movement. Nevertheless, it is the idea of living in complete freedom from the government, which is the underpinning that connects each school of anarchism. Emma Goldman the author of Anarchism and Other Essays describes “ANARCHISM:-- [sic]The philosophy of a new social order based
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Post-war Britain, particularly in the 1960s and early 1970s experienced a disastrous surge of economic, industrial, and environmental problems, which disseminated into social and political munities. British professor Mathew Worley, at the University of Reading who wrote “Shot By Both Sides: Punk, Politics and the End of ‘Consensus’” illuminates, “There were high unemployment rates, inflation, and an increase of violence in British culture. Inflationary pressures inherited from the 1960s had led to a rise in unemployment and industrial conflict that combined to inaugurate a prolonged period of socio-economic and political unrest” (Worley). The inflation rates combined with the unemployment rates alerted most of Britain’s citizens of the inequalities of capitalism, which amounted to an explosion of protests and riots that became a common site in British …show more content…
In 1975, Britain’s political climate relentlessly declined to conditions that were even more disastrous. David Simonelli the author of “Anarchy, Pop and Violence: Punk Rock Subculture and the Rhetoric of Class,1976-78” writes, “Many working-class teenagers had a hard time finding their first jobs because of the recession. Eight million people, 15 per cent of Britain’s population, were between ages 13 and 21. Two thirds of them were working class… Many left school early with no qualifications for a job, which only reinforced the hopelessness they felt in the current economic situation” (Simonelli 123). Fifteen percent of Britain’s’ people is not a significant amount of the population, but because of the substantial unemployment rates which affected the whole nation, including Britain’s youth, this had a deep cultural impact. Moreover, the prices of consumer products were increasing because of the inflation rates. As British youth were leaving their homes to find employment, no work opportunities were available. Even if these youth were to find jobs, the recession had increased the inflation rates of consumer’s products, which would make products expensive to buy. British youth felt rejected from their own government, and by looking up to punk music in the 1970s, a new wave of anarchism flourished. This made Britain’s youth feel alienated from their government and
Post-war Britain, particularly in the 1960s and early 1970s experienced a disastrous surge of economic, industrial, and environmental problems, which disseminated into social and political munities. British professor Mathew Worley, at the University of Reading who wrote “Shot By Both Sides: Punk, Politics and the End of ‘Consensus’” illuminates, “There were high unemployment rates, inflation, and an increase of violence in British culture. Inflationary pressures inherited from the 1960s had led to a rise in unemployment and industrial conflict that combined to inaugurate a prolonged period of socio-economic and political unrest” (Worley). The inflation rates combined with the unemployment rates alerted most of Britain’s citizens of the inequalities of capitalism, which amounted to an explosion of protests and riots that became a common site in British …show more content…
In 1975, Britain’s political climate relentlessly declined to conditions that were even more disastrous. David Simonelli the author of “Anarchy, Pop and Violence: Punk Rock Subculture and the Rhetoric of Class,1976-78” writes, “Many working-class teenagers had a hard time finding their first jobs because of the recession. Eight million people, 15 per cent of Britain’s population, were between ages 13 and 21. Two thirds of them were working class… Many left school early with no qualifications for a job, which only reinforced the hopelessness they felt in the current economic situation” (Simonelli 123). Fifteen percent of Britain’s’ people is not a significant amount of the population, but because of the substantial unemployment rates which affected the whole nation, including Britain’s youth, this had a deep cultural impact. Moreover, the prices of consumer products were increasing because of the inflation rates. As British youth were leaving their homes to find employment, no work opportunities were available. Even if these youth were to find jobs, the recession had increased the inflation rates of consumer’s products, which would make products expensive to buy. British youth felt rejected from their own government, and by looking up to punk music in the 1970s, a new wave of anarchism flourished. This made Britain’s youth feel alienated from their government and