impact of thatcherism on society

Question 1

key aim of thatcher government

Answer 1

turn britain into a property owning democracy

Question 2

housing act 1980

Answer 2

gave council tennants the right to buy their council houses

recieved 30-50% discount depending on how long they had lived there

Question 3

stats by 1988

Answer 3

almost 2 million new home owners had taken advantage of the scheme

Question 4

labour party opinion on right to buy

Answer 4

initially opposed

but it was so popular, espcially in the south, so it dropped its opposition

Question 5

negative consequences of right to buy

Answer 5

sale of council housing was predominantly in better off areas and had little impact in less desireable estates

councils used profits to reduce debts NOT build new council homes

number and quality of houses available for rent sharply reduced

many people were then in emergency B&B accomodation

Question 6

arthur scargill

Answer 6

revolutionary socialist

wanted to see miners strike develop into a general strike

wanted a form of communism across europe

unpopular with miners as they beliebed he was not doing what was best for the miners

Question 7

ian macgregor

Answer 7

head of the national coal board (NCB)

approved by thatcher

scargill concered of macgregor’s uncompromising business methods

provoked yorkshire miners

Question 8

long term causes of miners strike

Answer 8

NUM broight down conservative gov in 1974 - historic roots

winter of discontent turned the public opinion away from the TU movement

thatcher had a prepared strategy for dealing with the NUM

Question 9

short term causes of miners strike

Answer 9

NUM was triggered bu thatcher’s determination to reform british mining and union rights

government controlled the british coal corporation

Question 10

why did miners fail

Answer 10

breakaway miners weakened the force

key unions refused to join

scargill alienated many and looked like he was forcing the union

government had carefully planned their reaction

tebbit’s employment acts meant government had powerful weapons against strikers

police well prepared

coal was no longer as vital

Question 11

impact of miners strike

Answer 11

estimated total cost of £3 million

11,000 arrested

mining communities were scarred and many never recovered

more than 50% ex-miners out of work for a year post strike

major success for government anti-union campaign

strenghtened thatcher’s confidence

led to further riot

1987 election victory for conservatives

Question 12

aim of poll tax

Answer 12

to male local councils more accountable to their electors by ensuring that everyone contributed

Question 13

old council tax system

Answer 13

local taxation was based on property so was only paid by homeowners

Question 14

poll tax in scotland

Answer 14

introduced in 1989

very unpopular

conservative reputation in scotland already severly damaged

Question 15

poll tax in england and wales

Answer 15

introduced in 1990
despite the unpopualrity in scotland

Question 16

reaction to poll tax introduction

Answer 16

anti-poll tax unions were set up urging people to not pay

anti-poll tax demonstration in 1990 in trafalgar square
200,000 attended
turned into a riot and 5000 injured
cars set on fire, shop windows smashed
300 arrests made and police lost control

Question 17

opposition parties at the time of thatcher

Answer 17

weak and divided

too many internal issues to make a formal attack on thatcher

Question 18

oxford opposition to thatcher

Answer 18

voted against giving thatcher an honoury degree

not given due to spending cuts on higher education

it had been given to every other oxford-educated post-war PM

Question 19

arts opposition to thatcher

Answer 19

tended to be anti-thatcher due to cuts in public spending to the arts

plays written that satirised thatcherism

number of TV shows which showed the consequences of thatcherote policies EG. boys from the blackstuff

Question 20

church of england opposition

Answer 20

1985 report called faith in the city
called on the government do do more to help deprived communities

Question 21

pressure group opposition

Answer 21

worked through direct action not parliamentary politics

eg. shelter, age concern and CND

Question 22

greenham women

Answer 22

september 1981 a group of women set up a camp outside the greenham common base where missiles were to be based

april 1983 70,000 protesters formed a 14 mile chain

women proteted until 1991

Question 23

environmental awareness

Answer 23

bhopal gas leak 1984
chernobyl nuclear accident 1986

discovery of antarctic ozone hole caused by CFCs
damage by acid rain

pressure groups such as greenpeace and friends of the earth grew in strength