Unfortunately, this type of thing (Economic peril in a country) that allowed Hitler and the Nazis to come to power (here is a quick, simple read:
http://www.mrdowling.com/706-hitler.html ).
To find scapegoats is not right but, unfortunately, if the global economy continues to falter and hardship should spread (hopefully, it will not) to other nations, you will see more of the same and NO country is immune - it could happen in America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc...
No matter how peace loving a culture may be, whenever they are worried about where their next meal will come from, strife is bound to break out if this problem is endemic.
History repeats itself over and over and over again...unfortunately.
Not trying to sound negative but World War III will happen one day...and a World War IV, V, VI, etc.....in the meantime, regional conflicts will erupt, people will die and suffering will continue to perpetuate itself on humankind. It seems we are caught in a cycle that we cannot escape from (or, at least, have not been able to for the last 10,000 years).
Technology has changed, but we, as humans, don't seem to have changed too much, if any at all.