Originally posted by jreff22:
Originally posted by BrianGO:
There are plenty of areas in Europe where there are low incomes but little crime. That's because the people aren't desperate. They have tons of programs for people for drug abuse, financial hardship etc, in many European countries. In the USA, not so much. Obviously, low incomes are more likely to create desperation here. When people are desperate, they do desperate things. So if they weren't desperate, it wouldn't matter how educated they are. When rich/educated people are desperate, they can be equally violent.
Haven't you ever seen Trading Places?
Part of Europe's financial problem stems from their vast entitlement programs that are giving handouts to everybody. Soon when that stops and people will actually be responsible for themselves, look for the crime numbers to rise.
The state shouldn't have to bribe people into following the rules and pulling their own weight IMO.
It's also a different culture. I wasn't trying to really make a political statement. I was just trying to demonstrate that low income or less educated people are just as intrinsically violent as anybody else. Desperate people, are what cause the motivation for violence, whether they have money, education, whatever.