In 1981, the United Kingdom was convulsed by a severe recession, political turmoil, racial strife, police brutality, and the most extensive wave of urban violence anywhere in the developed world during the decade of the 1980s. How did things go so terribly wrong? In this video, we’ll examine the many causes and effects of Britain’s terrible year, including the New Cross Road fire, the Brixton and Toxteth uprisings, the Yorkshire Ripper killer and the political travails of one Margaret Thatcher. We’ll also examine what was going right in Britain in 1981, such as the vibrant punk and heavy metal music scenes.