*Why Was Margaret Thatcher Hated?

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*Why Was Margaret Thatcher Hated?

Campbell M Gold.com
Published by Campbell M Gold in Revisionist · Tuesday 03 Sep 2024
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Why Was Margaret Thatcher Hated?

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Margaret Thatcher was one of the most controversial political figures of her time. Her policies divided the country, and many people still hate her now, even though she died in 2013...

Why Was Margaret Thatcher Hated?

Margaret Thatcher, who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990, believed her policies were necessary to fix the country’s economy; however, considering their negative impact, it’s easy to see why she would be one of the most hated political figures ever.

Economic Policies
  • Austerity Measures: Thatcher's government implemented strict austerity measures aimed at reducing government spending. This led to significant cuts in public services and welfare programs.
  • De-industrialisation: Her policies contributed to the decline of traditional industries, especially in northern England, resulting in widespread unemployment and economic hardship.
  • Privatisation: Many state-owned industries, including British Gas and British Telecom, were privatised. Critics argue that this led to job losses and reduced access to essential services.

Social Policies
  • Class Division: Thatcher's policies are often viewed as favouring the wealthy and widening the gap between rich and poor, leading to increased class and economic  division in society.
  • Community Displacement: The closure of coal mines and factories led to the destruction of communities, particularly in industrial areas.

Political Actions
  • Response to Protests: Thatcher's government faced numerous protests, including those from trade unions. Her administration's often heavy-handed response fuelled resentment.
  • The Poll Tax: The introduction of the Community Charge (commonly known as the Poll Tax) was highly unpopular and led to widespread protests and riots. Many viewed it as unfairly burdensome on the poor and working-class.

Foreign Policy
  • Handling of Northern Ireland: Her approach to the conflict in Northern Ireland, particularly during the hunger strikes, was seen as uncompromising and insensitive, further entrenching divisions.
  • Support for Apartheid: Thatcher's government was criticised for its perceived support of the apartheid regime in South Africa, as she was initially resistant to imposing economic sanctions.

Personal Style
  • Autocratic Leadership: While some admire her decisiveness, others viewed her leadership style as authoritarian and dismissive of dissenting voices.
  • Gender Dynamics: As the first female Prime Minister, her demeanour and policies led to complicated perceptions regarding gender roles; some viewed her as a "traitor to her gender" for her conservative policies.

Conclusion

Margaret Thatcher remains a contentious figure in British history. The economic, social, and political impacts of her policies continue to be debated. While she is celebrated by some for her strong leadership and economic reforms, she is equally criticised for the lasting negative effects of her government on communities and social equality.

Thatcher policies that caused Major Dissent

  1. Brighton Bombing: The Brighton bombing was a terrorist attack during the Conservative Party conference in 1984. The bomb exploded at the Grand Hotel in Brighton, killing five people and wounding more than 30. The bombing was carried out by the Irish Republican Army (IRA), and it was an attempt to kill Thatcher and her cabinet. While it failed to kill Thatcher, it did show that she was a target for those who opposed her policies, and this caused many to view her as a dangerous and reckless leader, further damaging her reputation.
  2. Capital Punishment: Thatcher supported the reintroduction of capital punishment, a highly controversial policy. Capital punishment was abolished in the UK in 1965, and the vast majority of the population opposed its reintroduction. Her support for capital punishment made her unpopular with many people, as it was seen as a step backwards.
  3. Coal Mine closures: One of the main reasons that Thatcher was hated was her policies on the coal industry. Thatcher closed over 20 coal mines, which led to the loss of thousands of jobs. Coal miners were some of the most vocal protesters against Thatcher and her policies. However, she believed that it was necessary for the country’s economy.
  4. Falklands War: The Falklands War was another reason people hated Thatcher. It was fought between Britain and Argentina over the Falkland Islands, located in the South Atlantic Ocean off Argentina. After the Argentinean invasion, the war lasted for just over two months and claimed the lives of more than 250 British soldiers and over 640 Argentinean soldiers. The war was a significant blow to Thatcher’s popularity, as many believed that Thatcher had recklessly risked British lives for nothing—and they still do.
  5. Homophobia: Section 28 – "Thatcher's quiet homophobia." This is one of the reasons people "hate" Thatcher herself. "Section 28" refers to Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988, which states: A local authority shall not (a) intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality; (b) promote the teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship. From the LBGTQ+ perspective, this was totally unacceptable.
  6. Inflation: Serious inflation increased during Thatcher’s time in office, making life difficult for many people. Thatcher’s policies led to tremendous economic hardship, one of the main reasons she was voted out of office.
  7. Interest rates of 15%: During her time in office, Thatcher oversaw interest rates of 15%, which directly resulted from her ineffective policies. Many homeowners who had purchased their homes through the Right to Buy scheme struggled to keep up with their mortgage payments and ended up losing their homes. While her policies eventually controlled inflation, they also caused widespread job losses in the manufacturing sector, leading to deep-seated hatred towards Thatcher and Thatcherism.
  8. Interest Rates: Thatcher’s policies led to high interest rates, making it difficult for people to afford mortgages. The high interest rates were one of the main reasons for Thatcher’s downfall, as they led to widespread discontent among the population.
  9. Irish Hunger Strikes: The Irish Hunger Strikes were a series of protests undertaken by Irish republican prisoners during the 1980s. The strikes aimed to gain political status for the prisoners, who were primarily members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) and other paramilitary groups. The most prominent hunger strike occurred in 1981. Thatcher adopted a firm stance against the hunger strikers, refusing to grant them political status. She believed that conceding to their demands would undermine the rule of law. This stance was not a popular one.
  10. Manufacturing Industry Destruction: Thatcher is blamed for destroying Britain's manufacturing industry, which led to mass unemployment. Her policies were not intended to cause mass unemployment but were a consequence of her efforts to control inflation, which had reached 18% at one point. Her deflationary strategy included increasing interest rates and raising VAT from 8% to 15%. These actions, along with the revenue from North Sea oil, contributed to the strength of the GBP and significantly impacted export manufacturing. After the recession in 1983, manufacturing output was 30% lower than in 1978, reducing the manufacturing base so much that the balance of payments in manufactured goods was in deficit and has been there ever since. Despite facing public outcry and declining popularity, Thatcher remained steadfast in her policies. Hence her downfall.
  11. Miners’ Strike: The miners’ strike was caused by the closure of coal mines, which led to the loss of thousands of jobs. It led to a great deal of violence, as there were clashes between the police and the miners. The strike caused a great deal of economic hardship and also led to fuel shortages and power cuts. The strike significantly blew Thatcher’s popularity, showing her willingness to use force against those who disagreed with her.
  12. NHS Privatisation: After Griffith’s Report recommendations, Thatcher implemented "Modern Management Processes" to replace the old "Consensus Management" system. Subsequently, in 1988 and 1989, a review of the NHS and the release of White Papers titled "Working for Patients" and "Caring for People" led to the introduction of the National Health Service & Community Care Act in England. Following this, healthcare services could be purchased from public (NHS) providers, including new self-governing hospitals known as NHS Trusts and hospitals run by other health authorities and health authorities’ self-managed hospitals. Additionally, independent suppliers were allowed to compete for contracts. Fundholders were incentivised to reinvest any profits from efficient purchasing into general practice. Over time, this policy aimed to promote a public/private partnership approach to managing the NHS, but in reality, it strongly emphasised performance measurement through targets and monitoring. GP fundholding was eventually eliminated, and primary care groups (later known as primary care trusts) were created as the new commissioning bodies, with an increased focus on needs assessment and accountability to the local community. District health authorities were renamed as health authorities and later as "strategic health authorities". The domino effect of these changes has been the financially unsustainable state of the NHS, characterised by low availability of services and inconsistent care quality across different locations that we are stuck with today. But, on the positive side, many cronies made, and continue to make, a lot of money.
  13. Poll Tax: Another of Thatcher’s policies that led to her hate was the introduction of the Poll Tax. The poll tax was a flat-rate tax that everyone had to pay, regardless of income. It was unpopular, placing a significant financial burden on those struggling to make ends meet. The poll tax was one of the main reasons for Thatcher’s downfall, leading to widespread protests and riots across the country. It was eventually scrapped, but not before causing significant damage to Thatcher’s reputation.
  14. Poll Tax Riots: The poll tax riots were a series of riots that occurred in response to the introduction of the tax. They were some of the most violent protests in British history, resulting in hundreds of millions of pounds of damage. Again, Thatcher's response showed she was willing to use violence to suppress dissent. Many believe the poll tax was the main reason for Thatcher’s downfall.
  15. Privatisation: Thatcher’s policies on privatisation led to a great deal of hate. Thatcher privatised many industries, including water, gas, electricity, and steel. Many saw this as "elite cronyism rewards." The cheap sell-off of the industries led to mega-job losses, price hikes, and a rapid decline in the quality of service. This is very apparent today in 2024
  16. Social Housing Crisis: Thatcher caused a social housing crisis that still affects us today. Her significant expansion and subsidisation of the Right to Buy scheme resulted in a surge of Council House purchases from around 50,000 in 1972 to nearly 200,000 in 1982. This reduced the availability of social housing, which has never recovered - today, there is not enough social housing to meet the demand - the gap is astounding. Thatcher's belief in the free market and private enterprise filling the gap left by privatisation was grossly misplaced due to the subsidised sale of social housing.
  17. Unemployment: Thatcher’s policies led to high unemployment, as she cut several public-sector jobs to reduce the budget deficit. Consequently, high unemployment, which led to widespread discontent among the population, was one of the main reasons for Thatcher’s downfall.
  18. Westland Affair: The Westland Affair was a political scandal that occurred in 1986. The scandal revolved around the sale of helicopter manufacturer Westland Group to an American company. Thatcher was accused of interfering in the sale and was forced to resign just four years later. The Westland affair damaged Thatcher’s reputation, showing she was willing to use her power for personal gain.

Conclusion

Thatcher was a highly controversial figure, and many people hated her. Her policies led to high unemployment, fuel shortages, power cuts, and economic hardship. She was seen as an elitist who looked after her elitist cronies.

Looking back from today, 2024, it can be seen that Thatcher's policies are the roots from which our current sociological, political, and economic problems have sprung and were not addressed by subsequent governments.

End

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