Novelist Zadie Smith has said that rising inequality has intensified cultural divisions in Britain, making encounters across social and ethnic lines feel “existential” rather than merely inconvenient or frustrating. Speaking during an interview with singer Dua Lipa at the Southbank Centre’s London Literature Festival, Smith highlighted the erosion of the country’s welfare system as a critical factor in deepening societal fractures.
Smith’s comments came in a discussion centered on her 2000 debut novel, *White Teeth*, which explores the intertwined stories of three families in northwest London’s Kilburn and Willesden neighborhoods during the late 20th century. The author noted that the novel’s setting reflects her own upbringing and British state education, which she credited for equipping her with broad social access.
“When you have decent housing and reliable public services such as healthcare and education, differences between people become interesting or sometimes annoying, but not existential,” Smith said. “Now, they’re existential. When jobs disappear, schools crumble, and hospitals fail, those gaps take on a life-or-death urgency.”
She recounted that in her neighborhood, the same schools and social environments have become more challenging amid worsening economic conditions. “It becomes very natural to look to your left and think, ‘who the fuck are you?’ That is an economic and structural question,” Smith observed.
Smith urged a renewed appreciation for social democracy, describing a “nostalgia for the left” that seeks to reclaim the value of functioning public services. While acknowledging that certain past social attitudes—such as aspects of LGBTQ+ politics in the 1980s and racial prejudices depicted in *White Teeth*—are not desirable, she emphasized the importance of public healthcare, education, and social support systems.
The author also shared insights into the creation of *White Teeth*, revealing that she began writing the novel at 21 and completed it by 24, amid personal upheaval including a breakup and moving back with her mother. Finishing the book on Valentine’s Day, Smith recounted balancing final edits with the social pressures of youth. “That is why young people shouldn’t write novels,” she joked, calling the novel’s ending “a chaos.”
Since *White Teeth*, Smith has published five additional novels along with short stories and nonfiction, with her most recent work being the essay collection *Dead and Alive*. The conversation also touched on handling criticism, with Lipa acknowledging the difficulty of managing both positive and negative reviews. Smith called literary criticism “absolutely essential,” valuing even sharply negative reviews if they are intelligent and well-written.
The London Literature Festival, curated in part by Dua Lipa, continues through November 1, featuring speakers including Patti Smith, Malorie Blackman, and Hisham Matar. Lipa also hosts Service95, a monthly book club that includes interviews with authors.