Generation of the desert

The article presents a hypothesis that sudden change in a lifestyle of big groups of population may lead to a crisis in the upbringing system and failure in cultural transmission. As an outcome the socialization level drops for the next couple of generations, especially for the third one. This fact becomes one of the factors facilitating occurrence of mass public disorders, riots and rebellions in 60 ± 10 yeas after the lifestyle has changed. Article presents a short overview of some large-scale public riots in Russia and other countries in the last 400 years. In 12 cases out of 17 overviewed episodes some events were found (in the period of 60 ± 10 years) that could lead to a sudden change in a lifestyle for the big groups of population. The paths to verify this «third generation hypothesis» are outlined.