'Twas ever thus?

Maybe.

I'm sure all societies have an underclass, and always have had. Outcasts, outlaws. Outsiders.

People who for one reason - poverty - or another cannot "make it" and who are deprived of even basic services because of this. No wonder they are hostile. No wonder they occasionally rebel.

But to mainstream society, each new outrage is a fresh affront to normal standards and is hard to tolerate.