There are social trends happening here - and in other similar developed countries - which demand some attention.
It is true that through the second half of the nineties and early part of the 2000s some social indicators were heading in the right direction. But inexplicably they reversed. No. It wasn't the advent of tougher economic times because the trends reversed in advance.
Examples; Teenage birth, drinking and driving, crime in general, homelessness (anecdotally), youth suicide?
A couple of these are exclusively functions of the young, others, disproportionately. But there hasn't been a demographic blip. I have another theory.
The change is driven by the children born in the last recession who have been hitting adolescence and young adulthood. In 1990-1992 welfare dependence was very heavy. There were far more young people on welfare than ever before. They were abusing alcohol and other substances in greater numbers than before. Many, subsequently, never left the welfare ranks. Thus their children were affected pre- and post birth by their lifestyles. Many are disaffected and lawless. And probably mentally disturbed.
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Actually there is a simpler explanation still: Labour Governments in power in most of the countries covered by that survey.
So even will full employment etc people become bludgers and criminals, quite rationally, because it is simply attractive to do so compared to the options of hard work and honest toil.
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