Political And Social Divisions 1979-97 Flashcards
What significant political change occurred in Britain from 1979 to 1997?
Increased political and social division
What was a major unintended consequence of Thatcher’s policies?
Regional divisions in British politics
In which regions did the Conservatives see a decline in support during Thatcher’s time?
North of England, Scotland, and Wales
How many Scottish seats did the Conservatives win in 1979?
21 out of 71 seats
How many Scottish seats did the Conservatives win by 1987?
10 seats
Fill in the blank: Thatcherism had a significant impact on _______ services.
[public]
True or False: Thatcher’s policies resulted in increased support for the Conservatives in the north of England.
False
What should the analysis of political division incorporate according to the extract?
A capitalized discussion of the impact of Thatcherism on public services
What was the focus of the study extracts related to Thatcherism?
Freedom of choice and its implications
What type of divisions did Thatcher’s policies accelerate?
Political and regional divisions
What was the main political party affected by Thatcher’s policies?
Conservative Party
What is the time frame discussed regarding political and social division in Britain?
1979-97
What is Devolution?
A process where some decision-making authority is given over from central government to the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh and Northern Irish Assemblies, and the Greater London Authority.
What does ‘Centre ground’ refer to?
The space in the political spectrum that is accepted as neither left- nor right-wing.
Who is considered a Centrist?
A person who holds moderate political views.
What trend did Thatcher accelerate regarding political advisers?
Thatcher accelerated the trend to use outside advisers rather than career civil servants for policy advice.
What was the change in the number of MPs with a university degree from 1918-2010?
The number of MPs with a university degree rose from 40 percent in the period 1918-45 to 75 percent in 2010.
How did the fraction of Labour MPs from a manual worker background change from 1945 to 2010?
It declined from around one-third in 1945 to one in ten in 2010.
What significant change occurred in the number of MPs who previously worked for political organisations from 1979 to 2010?
The number increased from three percent in 1979 to 14 percent in 2010.
What ideological shift occurred during the Thatcher years?
A more general ideological battle was initiated, redefining what right- and left-wing meant.
What was the post-war consensus based on?
Moderate socialist principles accepted by both Labour and Conservative governments.
How did Thatcherism affect Conservative politicians’ views?
Many Conservative politicians lurched to the right, towards free markets and away from state planning.
What happened to local government power under Thatcher?
The power of local government was reduced, and this decline continued after her resignation.
What was Labour’s approach to local government spending after 1997?
Labour continued to cap local spending and allowed local government to raise only 30 percent of its own funding.
What was the impact of Thatcher’s government on Labour-controlled councils?
Labour-controlled councils became targets for local government cuts.
What was the social division critique of Thatcher’s policies?
Critics argue that Thatcher’s policies increased the gap between rich and poor.
What was the effect of privatisation on the working classes?
Privatisation benefited the wealthy while negatively impacting the working classes.
How did the income of the poorest ten percent change in the early 1990s?
The income of the poorest ten percent decreased significantly.
What was the regional division created during Thatcher’s era?
Regional divisions became pronounced, particularly affecting areas like Liverpool and Wales.
What was the impact of Thatcher’s governments on social divisions in Britain?
Thatcher’s governments increased social divisions, particularly between the rich and poor.
How did income tax change for different income groups from 1979?
The bottom ten percent of earners paid £400 million less in income tax, while the top ten percent paid £93 billion less.
What percentage of post-tax income did the top ten percent receive in 1997?
In 1997, the top ten percent received 35.2 percent of all post-tax income, up from 25 percent in 1974.
What happened to the proportion of pensioners living below the poverty line from 1979 to 1997?
The proportion of pensioners living below the poverty line increased from 13 percent to 43 percent.
How did housing benefit cuts contribute to social divisions?
Cuts to housing benefit reduced assistance for low-paid workers, forcing them to pay more out of pocket or move to cheaper accommodations.
What was the income change for the richest and poorest ten percent between 1979 and 1992?
The richest ten percent saw a 61 percent increase in income, while the poorest ten percent experienced an 18 percent reduction.
What was the change in wealth distribution between the richest and poorest ten percent from 1979 to 1991?
In 1979, the richest held 20.6 percent of UK wealth and the poorest 4.3 percent; by 1991, these figures changed to 26.1 and 2.9 percent, respectively.
What regional economic divide was created under Thatcher’s policies?
The north-south divide emerged, with London and the south-east becoming richer and more productive than the north-east and north-west.
What were ‘enterprise zones’ and their intended purpose?
‘Enterprise zones’ were deprived areas where private firms received government funds to stimulate growth.
What was the unemployment rate among men in former coalfields by 2001?
By 2001, one in five men in former coalfields were unemployed, up from one in ten in 1981.
What were the social divisions in Wales primarily caused by?
The decline of the mining industry, particularly in former mining towns.
How many people were unemployed in Wales in 1979?
73,000 people.
What was the unemployment figure in Wales by 1986?
166,000 people.
What was the trend in deep mining employment from 1974 to 1980?
The number of those employed in deep mining reduced from 34,000 in 1974 to 28,000 in 1980.
How many people were working in deep mining in Wales by 1990?
3,000 people.
What percentage of the workforce was lost across Wales due to the decline in mining?
90 percent.
What social problems arose from the decline in the mining industry?
Homelessness and drug use became prevalent.
How many drug offences were recorded in Wales in 1990?
1,308 drug offences.
What was the number of drug offences in Wales in 1979?
605 drug offences.
What economic growth occurred in Wales despite social divisions?
Increased spending on the NHS and growth in GDP per person.
How much did NHS spending in Wales increase from 1979 to 1990?
From just over £500 million to £1.5 billion.
What was the GDP per person in Wales in 1979?
£7,072.
What was the GDP per person in Wales in 1990?
£20,306.
What percentage of school-leavers sought further education or training in 1974?
20 percent.
What percentage of school-leavers sought further education or training in 1991?
47 percent.
What was the state of the former mining town of Blaenavon before redevelopment?
In a rundown state with boarded-up shops.
When did the redevelopment of Blaenavon start?
In 1998.
What were the social divisions in Wales primarily caused by?
The decline of the mining industry, particularly in former mining towns.
How many people were unemployed in Wales in 1979?
73,000 people.
What was the unemployment figure in Wales by 1986?
166,000 people.
What was the trend in deep mining employment from 1974 to 1980?
The number of those employed in deep mining reduced from 34,000 in 1974 to 28,000 in 1980.
How many people were working in deep mining in Wales by 1990?
3,000 people.
What percentage of the workforce was lost across Wales due to the decline in mining?
90 percent.
What social problems arose from the decline in the mining industry?
Homelessness and drug use became prevalent.
How many drug offences were recorded in Wales in 1990?
1,308 drug offences.
What was the number of drug offences in Wales in 1979?
605 drug offences.
What economic growth occurred in Wales despite social divisions?
Increased spending on the NHS and growth in GDP per person.
How much did NHS spending in Wales increase from 1979 to 1990?
From just over £500 million to £1.5 billion.
What was the GDP per person in Wales in 1979?
£7,072.
What was the GDP per person in Wales in 1990?
£20,306.
What percentage of school-leavers sought further education or training in 1974?
20 percent.
What percentage of school-leavers sought further education or training in 1991?
47 percent.
What was the state of the former mining town of Blaenavon before redevelopment?
In a rundown state with boarded-up shops.
When did the redevelopment of Blaenavon start?
In 1998.
