"Crushing regulation and taxes" generally hits small businesses hardest.

According to descriptions of what "rich" seems to mean to most, small businesses are the largest part of that heavily disliked group.

In the recent English riots the prevailing thought seemed to be that simply owning a business meant you were rich.

It's hard to imagine this being the case. When I think of "has way too much money" I think of big corporate fat cats. Never small business owners. I don't know anyone personally who sees small business as hated rich either.

Perhaps this is some kind of cultural thing in the UK?