What worries me is a basic loss of respect for each other, and perhaps this is exacibated by immigration - the fabric of Britain is so diverse now, everyone has different morals and limits, and therefore, there is no standard for what is acceptable in society. Perhaps we have made too many changes.

Gemma, Notts,

Uk society is never broken, it took a decision nearly 30 years ago to abandon the 'working class' now the welfare class.

Historians will argue ad nauseam whether it was the right course to take. Germany went about it differently.

The top 50% are cruising, society is good.

The bottom: tough.

Rhys Jaggar, Leeds, UK

Sorry but I completely agree with David Cameron's assessment and having left the UK and now residing in Canada when I am in the UK I notice more about the "breakdown" than the locals do.They accept the drunken violent conduct on the streets and on public transport and at concerts as the 'norm'.WHY?

Russelle Gardiner , Toronto, Canada

Our society is broken because nulabor broke it.

martin brighton, sheffield,

A very important article. 'A broken society' is a vague and easy term. It implies disaster without being specific–without needing to be. It appeals to people's fears through shared perception rather than shared fact.

Paul Monaghan, Ramsgate,

A very important article. 'A broken society' is a vague and easy term. It implies disaster without being specific–without needing to be. It addresses people's fears through shared perception rather than shared fact.

Paul Monaghan, Ramsgate,

Gang culture is a very strong and robust culture. It's not broken at all. But (through the prism of Stephen Pinker's ideas) Alex the Rebel's ideal society is based only around tight communities, not the right wing's obedience of authority or the left wing's avoidance of harm.

Ian Kemmish, Biggleswade, UK

Society changes as Plato observed.When Demos takes over people turn to a tyrant-Stalin,Hitler- Thatcher was not a tyrant only to the malevolent-thus broken Britain.A society that exaggerates the absurd and belittles the profound.

ged , manchester,

The reasonable conclusion is that society is not broken but that it is BREAKING! Breaking due to negative social forces such as rampant individualism, selfish consumerism and aggressive secularism, indeed there are many more and one by one these trends will have to be counteracted. It is possible.

mike g, Newcastle, UK

I grew up in a polity even in the army you had rights.Then groups demanded more rights, then they shouted down the rights of others. Now we are non persons.Not broken?Don't make me larff

ged , manchester,

It would be complacent to ignore the problems that afflict certain sections of society but article is correct in that to say Britain is a broken society is going too far..but it seems inherent in the human psyche to think we always live in the worst of times and pine for the mythical good old days

Graham, Bristol, UK

Volatile, self-serving, largely unknown, it is wise to be pessimistic about society. Society is only as strong as its weakest components. If so, we are all vulnerable. Confused society and confused culture equals a fume cupboard of unpredictability. Government's response shows exploitable weakness.

Malcolm Turner, Alsager, England

There is high immigration because of the governments continuing laxity despite tinkering and the economic benefits for those from third world countries. The link between immigration and breakdown - statistically gun and knife crime and muggings for example are more prevalent in immigrant populations

David Cartright, Birmingham,

Nero fiddled while Rome burnt. Gordon fiddled with climate change while the UK burns. His favourite words are 'I will do everything possible' when faced with a problem but it means nothing if he is impotent and has absolutely no idea what to do. Two words to sum up UK today, 'Jesus wept'

peter kim, st albans,

Being honest, it's pretty much the same wherever you go. Youth crime is a great concern over here too. Our misfits have gone from knifes to guns. We're very afraid of this turn which would make our streets as dangerous as in those in Central American cities. But our politicians ignore the issue.

Hector Lopez, Lima, Peru

I'm afraid this is complacent middle-class nonsense. We have a Broken Society just as we had a Broken Economy pre-Thatcher. This doesn't mean everything is wrong, but the severe problems of the underclass are directly caused by broken social attitudes & assumptions.

NBeale, London, England

70 killings is small but what about over 20,000 serious knife crimes last year. 4.3million out of 61million on benefits? Isn't that a lot. The causes of knife crime are broken families, drugs, alcolhol and social deprivation which affects far more than the knife crime figures. R U Complacent?

John Goode, Welwyn Garden City, UK

You had better believe it!

Glynn, Kingston,

The thing is that unless the family is regarded as stronger and if it breaks there is a robust organisation there to fix it, rather then the apauling Family law courts exposed last week by Camilla Cavendish, the demise of society will result in freefall

Dave Farmer, Broxbourne, England