Youth Subcultures around the World

The Ties Which Bind Them

Members of youth subcultures often signal their membership by typically making distinct style choices. However, many of these subcultures are based on ethnic ties, common interests, and social classes. Typically, the common ties creating a subculture are their ties to music and their sense of style. Belonging to a social group or otherwise a subculture is often about exploring individual choices and preferences to establish own identity. It can also be away for teenagers to decide what group they identify with in the adult world. As such, belonging to a subculture can help boost social skills and teach on the rewards of commitment. Youth subcultures have been around for centuries all over the world, and it is important to understand their roots and goals. People decide to join different cultures for one or the other reasons. For those who decide to join, membership might be long term, short term or on and off. On a different context, these subcultures have influenced generations to generations dictating what course their lives should take. This paper will discuss on The Teddy Boys, Pachucos, The La Mara Salvatrucha or MS-13 and Swing-Jugends within the realm of their subcultures across different continents and time periods.

Expression through Style

The Teddy Boys

Teddy Boys date back to the late 1940s and early 1950s. This is the time, when, as a result of the war, a generation of youths with money to burn adopted a Teddy Edwardian style of clothing. The fashion was in Saville Row and added their flair to the style. The long jackets with suits and the embellished tailored pants and lapels were popular in British culture and later coined “Edwardian” by the preceding generation before Teddy boys who otherwise the working class. The term "Teddy Boys” came from the moniker Edward, which is the original, less flashy style adopted by the previous generation. However, the style arose even more and was adopted by working and upper class youth who afterwards launched “working class Edward style” which became a trend all over the United Kingdom.

Originally the look consisted of drapes and drainpipe trousers, which on their own were very distinguished pieces (Ferris & Lord, 2012). Edward style was then customized. The velvet trimmed collars, pocket trimmings, and cuffs, slightly narrower trousers, beetle crushers or black suede creepers, and a style of hair heavily greased to be farmed into the shape of a ducks arose because of its close resemblance to the behind of a duck was the epitome of Teddy boy style. In Britain, it has been widely acknowledged that Teddy Boys were the first generation whose style was self-created. They later became the first high-profile rebellious teenagers displaying their clothing and attitude like a badge.

The Pachucos

The Pachucos are considered as the highly-stylized community of Los Angeles. They obtained their style from dance halls of New York and African-American jazz musicians, started in the 1940s. The origin “Pachucos” is unsure, but the most popular theory seems to be that the name originated from El Paso, Texas. El Paso, referred to as “Chuco Town,” was a popular town for migrant workers. As primarily people of Latin origin migrated there for work it was common for them to say they were going “pa’ El Chuco” eventually donning the name Pachucos.

Like Teddy Boys, the Pachucos were the ultimate expression of cultural resistance, anarchy, and indifference in North America. They were primarily known for their style although sometimes lumped in with their rivals, the Chicanos, due to ethnic and racial factors. Their Zoot Suits, characterized with flowing pants and elongated jackets, were seen as unpatriotic. This was considered as a situation of defiance by young Latinos and Filipinos who made them so popular. Pachucos’ sported pompadours, wide shouldered sports coats with extra-long fingertip coats, drape pants (similar to those of the Teddy Boys), wide brimmed hats, and the classic Godfather styled watch chains. They also wore thick soled, suede shoes known as “creepers”.

The Swing-Jugend

The Swing-Jugends date back to the time of World War II where innumerable people were persecuted for their differences in Germany. The term Swing-Jugend is derived from the German word for youth making Swing-Jugend meaning “swing kids” because of their strong ties to music. However, the group did not use the name by themselves, they preferred swing-boys or swing-girls, and were in fact dubbed Swing-Jugend by the Nazi Regime (Tanter, 1994, p. 23). The Swing-Jugend developed their distinctive style of dress similar to that of the previous youth groups because to them it was not only a way of identification and rebellion but was also considered a sharp look parallel to that of the Teddy Boys and Pachucos. Male members sported long hair, often reaching down to their jacket collar and long, checkered English sports jackets, shoes with thick light crepe soles (like the Pachucos Creepers), showy scarves, Homburg hats (similar to a fedora), and typically carried an umbrella.

La Mara Salvatrucha"(MS-13)

The term Mara Salvatrucha refers to the Salvadorian gang and was formed in Los Angeles in the 1980s. The group was formed by immigrants from the war-torn El Salvador. The number 13 is believed to originate from the sequential counting of the 13th letter of the alphabet which is M for Mara. The group is made of cliques, branding themselves as Sailors, Normandy, Peajes, Uniones and Fultons. The gang identifies themselves with tattoos that fill their bodies including the head and the face. Among the common markings include MS, devil horns, Salvatrucha, the name of their clique and other symbols related to the group. The group just like most groups love to express communication through use signs depicted in their fingers signals. Unlike the Teddy Boys, The Pachucos and Swing- Jugend, the MS-13 have no official dress patterns, but they rather find pride in walking without shirts or t-shirts.

Effects of the War (Political)

The Pachucos

This youth group was fighting to become the symbol of resistance in Los Angeles. The young Pachucos were at the height of an age that would that would lift them to that position (Braddy, 1960). While the World War II effort was underway, patriotic Americans were called upon by American propaganda to ensure that everything is in their power to invest in the war. This involved divesting in luxuries such as fashion and fabric accessories. Mexican-American Pachucos were pegged to be criminally defiant despite the fact that many of the Mexican-American soldiers who were serving abroad and the Mexican-American women who sustained the war effort with their labor factory at home. The media accelerated a greater part of this through widespread sensation over events such as the Sleepy Lagoon Murder where LAPD rounded up more than 600 youth, mostly Mexican American Zoot-Suiters (including some Pachucos) and accused 22 of them of José Díaz's murder. These events subsequently resulted in what is today called the Zoot Suit Riots, where white members of the armed forces aimed at and stripped young Mexican-Americans of their zoot suits in Los Angel's streets. Mexican-Americans youths moved on to embrace their style which grew quickly to influence women fashion despite being highly targeted by law enforcement and being banned by businesses looking to halt any unsavory customers.

The Teddy Boys

The World War II efforts, its media's influence on the already cautious world and propaganda, would see similar results on the youth in 1950s Britain. The origin of the Teddy Boys has been viewed as an attempt to break free from the drabness of post-war fashion whereby their Edwardian age-inspired suits, targeted at London's noble young men and its origin were one of their primary symbols of rebellion.

The Swing-Jugend

The Swing-Jugend were a group of middle class to upper class youth, both men, and women, who were who were alienated from the Nazi Youth. Their main conjoining factor was listening to the “decadent Jewish” music of the American jazz giants. The Swing-Jugend were teenagers who came together during the Third Reich, due to their love of Jazz and hatred of Hitler who banned it, to escape the discipline and control of the Hitler-Jugend (Hitler Youth). The Hitler Youth were an organization that “promised young Germans excitement, achievement, comradeship, adventure and a great future in a great Germany,” but which also intended to “create a generation which knew nothing but Nazi principles and Nazi ideology, and to ensure that they reared their children in the same way” (Lewis, 2000, p. 12). Unfortunately, their affiliation to this music and their style of dressing got them rounded up and put in prison camps on several different occasions under the reasons of breaking curfew and the continuation of dancing when it was banned.

La Mara Salvatrucha"(MS-13)

Unlike the other gangs, the La Mara Salvatrucha"(MS-13) have no relative affiliations to world war. However, most of the immigrants who started the gang were products of El Salvador’s civil war that lasted 12 years, from 1982 to 1992 (Fine & Ellis, 2013). The war led to the loss of many lives which inclined youths to form gangs that would listen to their pledge. Members who fled from the civil war were from Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico and other south and central American countries. Originally, the main aim of the gang was to protect Salvadorian immigrants from other gangs which existed in Los Angeles. Over the course of time, the effects of the gang have not been rewarding as many people have suffered in their hands. This is because the gang works through extortion, murder, rape, kidnapping, human trafficking, blackmail, and other immigration offences.

Effects of the Media Across Continents (Social and cultural)

The Teddy Boys

Based on a single evidence, the media named Teddy Boys as hooligans, painting them as a violent crew and menace to the society. Edward Suits and Dance Music was linked to incriminating activities due to their clothing especially when John Beckley was killed in July 1953 by Teddy Boys (Ferris & Lord, 2012). Like their Los Angeles counterparts, the Teddy boys would be targeted by news media who gave reports concerning criminal action(s) of youth associated with the fashion trend. The potential gang members and criminals were identified by their stylized suits, leading to a widespread distaste for both women who adopted the long suits and the style, thick-soled shoes also known as creepers and accompanied by sleek duck-tailed hairstyles (Shelden, Tracy & Brown, 2012).

In the mid of 1950s, the Teddy boys of the United Kingdom were finally influenced by the American rock' n' roll music which started to hit the shores. With the rise of availability of local credit and the downfall of the post-war retention controls in U.K, Teddy girls and boys left their tailored suits and instead opted for leather motorcycles and thereby giving rise to a youth subculture known as rockers. Rockers also brought about influence from the American "Greaser" youth subculture, who as a rebellion adopted rock ‘n' roll style of living from a struggle to re-establish traditional nuclear family roles in post-war America.

The punk scene of the 1970s back in the U.K started evolving into a sound and style that had a connection with the generation of young individuals whose political dissatisfaction became a racial ambiguity. The culture was also heavily rooted in the working-class communities just like in the generations before it. A subculture of alienated youths who were challenging the norms of sexuality, still feeling the impacts of the previous decade's downfall and navigating through inter-generational immigrant identity politics was attracted by the rise in the Manchester scene in the 1980s, with bands like The Cure, Joy Division, and The Smiths.

The Pachucos

The word "Greaser" was used on whites who were working-class subculture due to their high affinity for greased back hair, Mexican-American working –class young men already knew what the term meant for another reason. The term had been used for so long by young Mexican-American derogatory name who were subjected to jobs greasing the axles of carts in the middle of 19th century. It during the time the U.K rocker and U.S greaser took flight. The greaser subculture would not only result in the act of resistance through reclamation of the identity, but it would also be an origin of pride for young Mexican-Americans who created a stronghold on the style. The significant influence on young Mexican-Americans by the greater identity would continue throughout the 1980s and 1990s and most significantly today with the rise in popularity of rockabilly subculture (Shelden, Tracy & Brown, 2012).

In the 1970s, as mentioned with the Teddy Boys, a new wave era of fashion and music entered American soil as well, but while the trend of androgynous fashion and moody music started to fade away with the rise of house and grunge music, it continued to influence young Latino in the United States. The 1990s became a host to an era of young Latino, who much like the punk rock which came before them, created a community through party "crews" and house parties. The influence of the Manchester age of music was very much alive while many of these "crews" were not specifically tied to single street style. Crew such as Salford Lads, a group of teenaged Latinos in the San Farago Valley, obtained their name from the club made famously by The Smiths. They tried to replicate party atmosphere existing in the famous Hacienda club which provided housing to many Manchester' famous musicians. By doing this, they also decided to set trends that incorporated their identity as Latinos who do not belong to criminal stereotype.

The Swing-Jugend

Although the Swing-Jugend were not typically an aggressive resistance group, you can certainly imagine that the media, controlled by Hitler’s Regime, painted them as such. This particular youth subculture based itself on community and expression. Their primary activities consisted of gathering in dance halls and passing out allied propaganda. However, the primary news heard about them was the occasional assaults on the Hitler Youth.

The Swing-Jugends were also heavily influenced by the American and British culture through media. For American youth gangs in the 1940s music, particularly jazz music, was a major influence. Jazz was a way to identify and connect. It was played on most street corners and in an equally high number of bars. However, For the Swing-Jugends Jazz music had a whole different meaning. According to Ward, Hitler and his Regime saw jazz music as “the product of an unholy alliance between Africans and Jews” (Ward & Burns, 2000). The war and Adolf Hitler had turned this up beat tune into their only beacon of light as a symbol of democracy, individualism, artistic expression, and hope that the Americans would one day save them.

La Mara Salvatrucha"(MS-13)

As per the La Mara Salvatrucha"(MS-13), the media has largely contributed to their growth and the expansion of incriminating activities. When the outlawed sect began, it was in the plight to shield their fellow people from attacks emanating from predominant gangs of Los Angeles consisting of Mexicans and African Americans (Covey, 2010). However, when things changed, the demands of the gang shifted from community responsibility to that of fighting for their cause. With pressure and branding from the media, the outlawed sect has constantly been changing their tactics influencing thus daily operations. With the constant display of their horrific acts from media vents, the La Mara Salvatrucha"(MS-13) are advancing day by day increasing their horrendous acts on civilians (Fine & Ellis, 2013).

Morever, the media influences how the La Mara Salvatrucha"(MS-13) are living consequently influencing their branding. As the media continue to post different information concerning the group, so are they forced to secure other means of identification and reach other regions. In the recent years, the gang has expanded its activities in Washington D.C with areas like Maryland becoming core areas for their gang activities.

Economic Factors

The Teddy Boys

While youth subcultures in Los Angeles and the United Kingdom have its origin on music and fashion, the 1970s would witness the increase of a more proactive movement of the youths. With the shift in the political paradigms that affected the working-class families adversely and directly, by both U.S and U.K, disaffected youths sought rebellion through lifestyle and punk music. In the 1970s in U.K, there was an economic downturn where economic inflation paved the way for rising unemployment and widespread labor strikes, majorly among young individuals in Britain. The term punk which was used to describe both gritty fashion styles and aggressive music had a mixed nihilist and anarchist value. The Buzzcocks-like U.K bands and the Clash used the medium to oppose political figures together with their polarizing economic policies openly.

The Pachucos

Concurrently, the U.S was also in a state of post-war discomfort. However, this time around there were more people openly opposing country's involvement in the Vietnam War. A new political conservatism resulted to materializing as a response to nation's civil rights civil rights movements founded in the 1960s. This policy pushed the working-class to fuel the Chicano movement which mostly consisted of Mexican-American youth. The increase in political resistance among Mexican-Americans in Los Angles created a platform for a punk subculture to take stage permeates music, art, and fashion of a highly expanding social justice consciousness. Artists and musicians such as The Plugz and Alice Bags also started to organize punk shows in Eastern parts of Los Angeles backyards, and underground venues as activists began organizing in communities politically, a tradition that is still alive up to date among East Los Angles youths (Shelden, Tracy & Brown, 2012).

The Swing-Jugend

Different from the Teddy Boys and Pachucos, the Swing-Jugends were a primary youth group during the Second World War, who were at the heart of the conflicts. The Swing-Jugends, along with many other youth groups had a constant political struggle, especially with the Hitler Youth. They also lived in a state of economic hardship where there was not much relief from the on goings of World War II. Had the economy not crashed and brought the rise of the Nazi regime there may not have been a Swing Kids movement.

The La Mara Salvatrucha"(MS-13)

The projection of the gang is based on member contribution aimed to run the group. Upon individual initiation to the gang, the recruit is informed on what their duties are, what they are supposed to do or not to do. When the sect was formed, one of their objectives was directed towards seeking available resources that would help them soar through the then tough economic times in America during the period 1980-1990. To date, the group has ballooned to over 100, 000 in population with its members located in different regions in North, South and Central America (Fine & Ellis, 2013). Lopez (2004) supports the argument, that MS-13 is one of the most dangerous and rapidly expanding criminal gangs. The gang has managed to expand its business tentacles into an array of illegal activities. The gang as transnational crime organization holds pride in forceful extortion, drug trafficking, human trafficking, prostitution and sex trafficking and paid executions. The group also is involved in extortion for the protection of this and that neighborhood(s).

It remains an essential task to emphasize the importance of these youth subcultures who lived this rebellious ideology long before our youth gangs of today. By paying more attention to decoding the meanings of their elements of style and by a comparative approach, we should be able to (re)construct their subversive potential and study the contradictory and exciting dialectics of culture industry and subcultures. The Teddy Boys, Pachucos, MS-13 and Swing-Jugends all taught the durability of rebels. As stated before, it is important for law enforcement to understand these subcultures better. Each subculture learns from the next. They see what is effective and they try it in their region. Youth then had strong ties to music similar to the youth of today.

References

Braddy, H. (1960). The Pachucos and Their Argot. Jackson, FL.: Southern Folklore

Covey, H.C. (2010). Street Gangs Throughout the World. Charles C Thomas Publisher

Ferris, R., & Lord, J. (2012). Teddy Boys: A Concise History . Milo Books

Fine, A.G. & Ellis, B. (2013) The Global Grapevine: Why Rumors of Terrorism, Immigration, and Trade Matter. Oxford University Press

Lewis, B. R. (2000). Hitler Youth: The Hitlerjugend in War and Peace 1933-1945 . Staple Hurst, United Kingdom: Spell Mo Quarterly.

Lopez, R.J. (October 30, 2004) Gang Uses Deportation to Its Advantage to Flourish in the U.S. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-gang30oct30-story.html

Shelden, R., Tracy, S., & Brown, W. (2012). Youth gangs in American Society. Nelson Education.

Tantner, A. (1994). Jazz Youth Subcultures in Nazi-Europe. ISHA Journal: History of Daily Life, 2(94), 2228.

Ward, G. C., & Burns, K. (2000). Jazz: A History of America's Music . New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

Wilson, E. (1998). Bohemian Dress and the Heroism of Everyday Life. Fashion Theory, 2(3), 225-244.