ABSTRACT
This chapter employs an age period and cohort analysis to explore the role of political socialisation in the formation of public attitudes. Specifically, we ask to what extent did public sentiments to crime and disorder shift, following a long period of neo-liberal governance, followed by a centrist shift from the opposition. Our investigation demonstrates the strength of the Mannheim hypothesis (1928) about the enduring effects of youthful experience. Observing a “trickle-down effect” our results suggest a new intolerance relating to crime and disorder emerged after Thatcher came to power, but it was consolidated most strikingly under New Labour's generation.
