Impact Of Thatcherism On Society 1979-1987 Flashcards
What are the main things that need mentioning regarding impact of Thatcherism on society?
Economic realignment- accelerated move to service based industries
Sale of Council Houses
Industrial disputes- inc miners’ strike
Poll tax
Funding cut impact
What did Thatcher do, regarding sale of council houses?
Wanted to turn Britain into property owning democracy
Encouraged council house tenants to buy them through ‘Right to buy’ scheme
Extended and encouraged through Housing Act 1980
Council tenants discounts of between 33 and 50%
By 1988 2 million people used the scheme to buy
So popular, Labour dropped opposition to scheme
More council houses sold in affluent areas- widened divisions in society (stock not replaced there- so poor income families had to move to different areas- so no longer a mix of poor and affluent in affluent areas)
Councils forced to use proceeds to pay off debt rather than build new housing stock
Long term there was a shortage of council properties for rent and waiting lists for longer
Councils forced to house people in less suitable, more expensive accommodation, such as B&bs
What industrial disputes were there during Thatcher’s time?
Numerous in the 1980s
Nurses
Ambulance workers
Teachers
Print workers
Steelworkers
Miners
Other public sector workers
What did the Thatcher do in response to industrial disputes?
Did sometimes agree to demands
But, introduced legislation to weaken disputes:
Secondary picketing outlawed in 1980 (if didn’t work there you couldn’t picket with the staff that did)
1984- demanded that Trade Unions held ballots before going on strike
What was the background to the Miners’ strike 1984-85?
1981 National Coal Board announced 23 pits NEEDED to close
Government reduced imported coal and gave coal industry subsidies to avoid dispute
By 1984 stocks of coal had been built up and North Sea oil meant country was left dependent on imported oil
March 1984 NCB announced closure of 20 pits
President of National Union of Miners, Arthur Scargill, believed plan was to close 70- he was correct
Miners went on strike to try to stop closures
What happened in response to strike action by the miners?
No national strike ballot weakened miners’ case
Some public sympathy for miners
Arthur Scargill unpopular
Long and bitter dispute
Miners who continued to work - ‘Scabs’ and traitors
Violent confrontations between striking miners and police- battle of Orgreave June 1984 5000 miners tried to stop coal coming in 50 picketers and 70 police injured
Accusations that government was politicising the police
Some miners didn’t support strike
Nottinghamshire miners formed own Union of Democratic Mineworkers (UDM)
More and more gradually went back to work
Strike ended March 1985
What were the consequences of the miners’ strike?
Pit closures went ahead
Numbers employed by coal industry fell from 200,000 to 60,000 between 1979 and 1990
Power of unions reduced
Similar happened in other industries
By 1990 Union membership dropped by a third
Thatcher used Miners’ strike to demonstrate her authority and compare her leadership positively to Heath and Callaghan
What was the Poll tax?
Thatcher’s attempt to reform local government finances
Charged a flat rate per adult (18+) - with few exemptions/discounts
Different from old system where only homeowners contributed, with amount based on property value
What were the aims of the poll tax reforms under Thatcher?
To make local government finances fairer - community charge paid for by all electors
To make local government more accountable. As all electors would contribute - link between electors and local government would be stronger
Local government would be forced to spend responsibly and be more efficient in order to attract votes
What were the main criticisms of the poll tax/community charge?
Under the Community Charge most people’s bills would go up
It was difficult to justify why poor people would pay same as a millionaire
What happened when poll tax introduced?
Introduced in Scotland in 1989 and in England and Wales in 1990
Hugely unpopular
Anti-poll tax unions set up
Some areas 30% of people refused to pay
Authorities seemed unable to enforce payment
March 1990 demonstration in Trafalgar Square London - 200,000 turned up. Turned into a riot. 5000 injured and looting of nearby shops. 300 arrested
Despite all opposition Thatcher refused to back down
What other social impacts were there under Thatcher?
Education cuts (Oxford uni voted against awarding Thatcher an honorary degree
Arts cuts (plays satirising Thatcher written by David Hare and Carly Churchill +alternative comedians such as Ben Elton and Alexei Sayle
Church concern about the impact of Thatcher policies (Faith in the City1985 report- asking for government to do more to help deprived communities)
PRESSURE GROUPS
Shelter and Age concern campaigned against rising levels of homelessness and pensioner poverty
Greenham Women - set up camp at Greenham Common base to protest at cruise missiles being based there (stayed until 2000)
Growth of Greenpace and Friends of the earth - concern over environmental issues such as Bhopal gas leak in India and Chenobyl nuclear accident in USSR- growing scientific evidence about impacts of pollutants such as CFC’s and acid rain
What were the main foreign affairs issues during Thatcher’s time?
The Falklands
The special relationship with the US
Moves to end the Cold War
Relationship with Europe/divisions within Conservative Party over Europe
Thatcher grew in international stature during her time in office (but faced criticism)
What happened in the Falklands?
Argentina claimed ownership since 1817
British colony and naval base since 1833
Britain didn’t see the islands as strategically significant- withdrew HMS endurance from the South Atlantic in 1981
Argentina sent a military invasion force March 1982
Argentinian battleship General Belgrano sunk by British Submarine 2 May 1982 - no chance of diplomatic solution after this
British troops landed on Falklands on 21 May
Argentina surrendered 14 June 1982
American base in Ascension Island used by Britain during conflict- strengthening special relationship
What happened to the special relationship with the US during Thatcher’s time?
Thatcher formed a close relationship with American President- Ronald Reagan
Thatcher allowed the US to station cruise missiles in the UK
Both supported supply side economics
Both disliked trade unions
Thatcher preferred US to Europe
Thatcher believed US has rescued Europe twice during world wars
Reagan supporter Thatcher over Falklands conflict
Thatcher allowed US to use British air bases to bomb Libya - against British public opinion
Both favoured a tough line with the USSR
Thatcher willing to negotiate with Gorbachev and encouraged Reagan to do same
What was the key timeline in moves to end the Cold War?
1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
1981 election of Reagan- believed USSR an ‘evil empire’ - committed US to Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI)- protect US from incoming nuclear missiles
1983 Cruise missiles based at Greenham Common
1984 first meeting between Thatcher and Gorbachev
1985 Gorbachev becomes leader of USSR
1986 Gorbachev launched perestroika (market like reforms and open elections) and glasnost (‘openness’ government transparency ) and summits with US began
1986 Reagan and Gorbachev met in Reykjavik, Iceland
1987 intermediate Range Nuclear Forces treaty signed - process of disarmament
How could the Cold War be summarised in the 80s?
Early 80s growing tension - led to fear of outbreak of nuclear war (uk government issues protect and Survive booklets- what to do in nuclear attack+CND marches)
However USSR not as strong as had been made out and war in Afghanistan had depleted resources - also challenges within USSR E.g growing solidarity movement in Poland
By mid 80s tension was reducing and moves to end the Cold War
Meeting between Gorbachev and Reagan in 1986 and Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces treaty signed 1987
How did Thatcher build on Britain’s relationship with Europe?
Close relationship with some European leaders I.e. President Mitterand of France
Agreement to build Channel Tunnel in 1986
Signing the Single European Act 1986 - set up European single market - changed the Assembly into European Parliament, mentioned possibility of future monetary Union and increased role of European court
How did tensions grow with Europe under Thatcher?
Handbag diplomacy - symbol of her non-nonesense assertive approach - she would dominate opposition
Demands to get Britain an EEC rebate agreed in 1984
Suspicious of Germany and ‘cool’ relationship with Chancellor Kohl
What divisions were there in the Conservative Party over Europe?
Majority supportive of Thatcher’s policies towards Europe
Creation of single market fitted well with Thatcherite economic policies
Only a few opponents to Single European Act - such as Enoch Powell - he argued EEC was a threat to British Sovereignty (ability to make your own decision)
Westland affair - disagreement over whether British Helicopter Company shoukd be taken over by European consortium. Heseltine wanted that - Thatcher had no preference.
Heseltine thought Thatcher was blocking cabinet discussions on it- so resigned
How was Thatcher seen internationally?
POSITIVE
Earned reputation as the ‘Iron Lady’
Admired for bringing Gorbachev and Reagan together for negotiations
Strengthened special relationship with the US
Winning Falklands war improved Britain’s reputation
Robust negotiations earned Britain an EEC rebate
CRITICISMS
Combative style made European allies wary
Could have solved Falklands diplomatically? Unnecessary blood shed?
Some (Healey and Enoch Powell) thought that Britain not independent enough of US
