The U.S. has been the home of the street gang while Great Britain since World War II has produced several waves of national subculture. U.S. gangs sprang historically from ethnic ghettos where they provided an opportunity network for recently arrived immigrants. They continue to embody many traditional mainstream values (consumerism, patriotism, elitism, and competitive success), recreating them in a distorted form on the street. British subcultures emerged as a response to class-based society and represent a ritual resistance to the status quo, forcefully rejecting mainstream values. It appears that the structure and ideology of youth groups depends intimately upon that of the host country. While Britain has been the home to youth's ritual resistance, the U.S. produced the paradox of ritual conformity. 54 references.