Impact of Thatcherism: Social Flashcards
What was the political impact of selling council homes?
+ allowed Conservatives to equate party with prosperity and egalitarianism
+ helped 1979 and 1983 election victories eg “right to buy” was clever slogan and Hesseltine said “single most contributory factor” to 1979 victory
+ use of “house” in broadcast was aspirational
+ helped Thatcher consolidate power
- threatened to alienate traditional Conservative voters
- environment secretary Walker 1972 said “very basic right” + Labour insisted “basic and natural desire”
What was the economic impact of selling council homes?
- fall in house building publicly and privately eg 100,000 buildings a year by councils ceased
- led to rise in value of property and rising rents eg 1991 rents for tenants 55% higher from 1881
+ ST boosted central gov finances eg £692mill 1980-81 and £1.394bn 1981-82
What was the social impact of selling council homes?
- increased social division and conflict as not available to unemployed or low skilled eg London borough Greenwich refused application forms/denied it existed
- 1988 report found 1/10 of tenants didn’t know about it
+ sense of independence and freedom
+ led to mindset borrowing is normal/good
Was the sale of council homes a success?
- 1980 in 4 months 55 bought
- England 1981 66,321 and 1982 174,697 sales
- 1980-85 more than 25,000
- 1990 70% of houses owner occupied vs 50% 1979
- 1988 survey “average discount” was 44%
Why was the poll tax introduced?
- rationalising of existing system of raising money through rates
- originally from ASI
- 38 mill poll tax payers vs 14 mill ratepayers
- payment for service more evenly spread
What was the poll tax’s impact on society?
- alienated public from gov including middle class as it was 2x original estimate
- organised opposition (anti-poll tax unions) and non-payment by millions
- Trafalgar Square Riots March 1990 5000 injured
- fall in electoral roll eg by 1989 decrease of 85,000
- decrease in trust of gov eg 88% didn’t pay on first request 1992-93
- councils increase tax due to non-payment leading to more non-payment and indebted councils
What was the poll tax’s impact on the Conservatives?
- division, one nations cons (eg Hesseltine and Heath) opposed
- 1 backbencher proposed a modified tax
- gov perceived as greedy and uncaring
- led to perception Thatcher should be replaced with someone flexible + who can listen to criticism
- alienated Scotland due to early introduction in 1989
What was the poll tax’s impact on the political left?
- encouraged labour and leftist activities eg resurgent of “All Britain Anti Poll Tax Federation”
- opposition led to reduction in tax so many labour councils “charge-capped” to keep budgets down
- encouraged Scottish Nationalists to take up left-wing “social justice” approach eg “can’t pay, won’t pay”
Why was there a strike?
- 1980 secondary picketing outlawed then 1984 secret ballots introduced
- 1981 NCB warned need to close 23 pits but gov prevented this by reducing coal import and protecting subsidy
- 1984 NCB announced closure of 20 pits
- Scargill claimed there was secret plan for 70 and then cabinet papers 2014 showed strategy to close 75 over 3yrs
Why did the strike fail due to Thatcher and gov actions/precautions?
- building coal stocks before strike and replacing Howell with Lawson as energy secretary (replaced by Walker)
- determination eg Mcgregor as NCB leader
- extension of policing powers
- offering deals for pitt closures and Nott miners
- 11,291 arrested of whom 8,392 were charged
Why did the strike fail due to Scargill and NUM leadership?
- 1981 70% NUM voted Scargill
- calling strike in spring (march)
- no ballot so illegal strike + use of secondary picketing
- UDM division with NUM eg called ‘scabs’ + ‘traitors’ and 73% Nott miners voted against strike
- Scargill alienated moderates and failed to gain Labour support
- Kinnock said miners were “lions led by donkeys”
Why did the strike fail due to other factors?
- sequestration of NUM funds
- lack of Labour party support
- media bias in Murdoch’s press
- North Sea Oil
What was the impact of the strike on miners and TU power?
- 1979 coal employed 200,000 and by 1990 60,000
- several hundred permanently dismissed
- ‘if anyone has won it has been the miners who stayed at work’ [Thatcher]
- 1990 membership of TU fell 2/3 of amount in 1979
- lost power and militant members became marginalised
What was the impact of the strike on manufacturing industry?
- state industry eg British steel and airways reorganised with massive job losses
What was the impact of the strike on Conservative and Labour parties and politics?
- Thatcher compared to Falklands and called miners ‘the enemy within’
- Blair introduced national minimum wage
- Labour now party of middle class, public sector professionals
- Cons ditched ‘traditions’ to present itself as ‘a safe pair of hands’ but lost sense of purpose and unity
- shift from political to identity politics eg rejection of enlightenment
- era of judicial authority over politicians
What was the impact of the strike on society?
- relieved about Scargill defeat but concerned about extent of conflict
- hostility between those who striked and those who didn’t
- women’s role in response to Orgrave
What was the impact of the strike on the role of police?
- new equipment, better tactics and riot control
- politicised and not only enforcing law and order
- Battle of Orgreave June 1984: 5000 miners vs 8000 police; 50 picketers and 70 police injured
- LT controversy of police brutality eg 1991 police had to pay compensation
- defeat for NUM as all coal lorries left plant
What other industrial action followed the strike?
- newspaper proprietors led by Murdoch tried to reduce power of print unions eg Jan 1986 Murdoch Wapping plant
- print unions failed to prevent publications so strike collapsed after 13 months
- teachers union carried on dispute over working conditions
- days lost to industrial dispute fell from 6.2 mill days in 1981 to 528 in 1982
How was the church an example of extra-parliamentary opposition?
- due to social impact of unemployment and urban decay
- 1985 “faith in the city” report
- sermons and speeches by bishops
- Sheppard of Liverpool and Jenkins of Durham
How were universities an example of extra-parliamentary opposition?
- due to cuts in HE and Thatcher’s emphasis on business and vocational education over learning and intellect
- Oxford Uni declined to award Thatcher honorary degree (accepted practice for PM)
How was the creative arts an example of extra-parliamentary opposition?
- due to cuts in public spending on arts and Thatcher’s lack of concern for culture
- music Red Wedge
- TV boys from the blackstuff
- comedy Ben Elton and Alexei Sayle
- playwrights Caryl Churchill and Alan Ayckbourn
How was anti-nuclear arms groups an example of extra-parliamentary opposition?
- due to increase in nuclear spending, Cold war and US cruise missiles in UK from 1979
- increase in CND membership and activity
- Greenham Common Women 1981 camping at cruise missile base
- 1983 14 mile human chain to Aldermaston
- 1984 rebuilt camp after eviction from Newbury Council, remained until 2000
How were charities an example of extra-parliamentary opposition?
- same reasons as church
- towns/cities cut in benefits
- shelter protested for support to homeless
- age concern campaigned for financial support for poor pensioners
How were environmental groups an example of extra-parliamentary opposition?
- due to 1984 Bhopal and 1986 Chernobyl
- due to Thatcher’s lack of interest
- increase scientific awareness of threats eg hole in ozone, acid rain
- increase in membership and protests by groups like friends of the earth and greenpeace
