I think this article touches on the real issue here but then abandons it for a more politically charged point. The problem here isn't religion or morality per

I think this article touches on the real issue here but then abandons it for a more politically charged point. The problem here isn't religion or morality per se. To make that argument you'd have to be making the point that the people rioting didn't know what they were doing was wrong. I don't see that as valid. The issue, as the author says at the beginning, is self-restraint. Britain has seen a decline in religion and without the "fear of God" there's a certain segment of the population (the lowest class who have nothing to lose) who no longer see the need to restrain themselves. So the issue is teaching them why they should restrain themselves even without fearing God Given that I see a very simple solution here. In societies where religion is losing favor schools and parents have to teach kids secular morality. Explain to them that a riot destroys businesses which deprives the government of revenue which in turn will come back to harm the people who caused the riot in the long run. Basically switch the "Golden Rule" for the "Categorical Imperative" (which to be honest are virtually the same thing anyhow)