Origin of the French riots?

Reason provided this thoughtful article on how the French riots can be illuminated by an examination of the classic Kubric film 'A Clockwork Orange'.

I can't say as I agree or disagree with their analysis, for me the interesting feature was the sci-fi reference - why? Because A Clockwork Orange is but one of many 'dystopian' fictions that have political themes relevant to today.

Indeed, I have long felt that the most important modern literature comes from the field of 'sci-fi' or speculative fiction, or whatever you want to call it, with other more ambitious literary genres (i.e. Gabriel Garcia Marquez's 'magical realism') being all but incoherent by comparison.

Here are some other classic texts/films that have more than their fair share of political content, and with each I give a brief outline of how the text might fit with predicting reality;

Slaughterhouse 5 - Kurt Vonnegut jr.

Billy Pilgrim comes unstuck in time. A philosophy manual masquerading as an anti-war screed in sci-fi clothing, it is a total demolition of Cartesian 'free-will', and a defense of principled atheism.

Cat's Cradle - Kurt Vonnegut jr.

I doubt I've ever read a more cogent attack on state violence or as devestating a crtique of modernity as absurdity. Still resonates.

1984 - George Orwell

So influential it has become iconic, not just for its imagery (see Big Brother Cheney below) but also for its insight into how power corrupts language; i.e. 'The Clean Air Act', 'The Patriot Act', etc.

"We have always been at war with Eurasia"

The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Attwood

Still my favourite of her works, it is a harrowing take on the theocratic impulses of the US. In it's own way, it hits even closer to the truth of today than 1984 in that she correctly foresaw the puritanical elements that would fuel the GOP of today.