Hi Dave, did we cross paths at Writer Beat, your name seems familiar?

I agree that when civil unrest breaks out it shows the ruling elites are out of touch with the realities of life for those they rule. Unfortunately when burning and looing becomes part of the protest it gives those in power an excuse for closing their ears.

Decentralising power is the answer but instead, since the end of World war 2 probably, the trend has been to centralise power thus causing the decision makers to become more and more remote from the people whose lives their decisions affect.