I'm choosing not to take your "6th form debating society" comment as an insult
The links between social and economic circumstance and these lootings are clearly contrived.
Au contraire. See "Austerity and Anarchy" by Ponticelli and Voth (you can d/l your own copy for £3):
"
Expenditure cuts carry a significant risk of increasing the frequency of riots, anti-government demonstrations, general strikes, political assassinations, and attempts at revolutionary overthrow of the established order. While these are lowprobability events in normal years, they become much more common as austerity measures are implemented. This may act as a potent brake on governments. In line with our results on expenditure, Woo (2003) showed that countries with higher levels of unrest are more indebted. High levels of instability show a particularly clear connection with fiscal consolidation."
That's based on data from 1919 to 2009 across Europe.
We are talking about anarchy and the breakdown of law and order. Once the looters are off the streets (by fair means or foul) the political debate can resume.
Fair means only. Do it by foul means and you sacrifice the very thing you are trying to protect: law and order.