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Thatcherism 1979-87: Impact on society - Coggle Diagram
Thatcherism 1979-87: Impact on society
Sale of council houses
Allowed council house tenets to buy their houses at a discounted price.
By 1988, around 2 million new homeowners had taken advantage of the act. - largely successful
1980 Housing Act - 'right to buy ' act
Thatcher wanted Britain to be a hoe owning democracy and for ppl to be less reliant on the state.
Long term failures: few more council houses were built which created housing crisis as demand was high. The waiting lists for rental properties increased and many ppl were put in emergency B&B accommodation which was often unsuitable to the families and expensive for councils.
It was well-liked by the public as owning a home gave many financial stability.
Poll tax
Thatcher wanted everyone to pay the same amount - it wasn't fair that a poor person and millionaire had to pay the same.
1989, first introduced in Scotland - its as extremely unpopular
Replaced the old taxation rate system, which was based on property.
1990, 200,000 ppl protested in Trafalgar square - turned into riots and over 300 arrests were made.
Despite unpopularity in Scotland it came to England and Wales in 1990
Anti-poll tax unions were set up across ten country and in some areas up to 30% of ppl refused to pay.
Thatcher thought it would force councils to be more efficient and responsible in their spending.
Industrial disputes
1984, Battle of Orgreave:
5,00 miners mass picket against 8,00 police officers p police were accused of brutality with more than 50 picketers injured - defeat for the NUM
Closure of pits:
1984 the National Coal Board announced the closure of 20 pits + Arthur Scragill NUM president claimed he saw a secret plan to close 70 pits. (true)
Miners strike, 1984-85:
Scragill did nt gain total support for a national strike and reused to hold a strike ballot. It was not a significant threat as Thatcher had stock-pilled coal. It was unsuccessful a steely did not prevent the closure of pits.
Many felt sympathy for minning communities, however Scargill was demonised in the press as a dangerous revolutionist,
Thatcher's economic reforms caused hostility from unions.
The teachers' union
which had never previously been associated with industrial unrest had a lengthy dispute over working conditions in the mid-80s.
Respect for unions decreased with total unions membership in 1990 being only 2/3 it had been in 1979.
Extra-parliamentary opposition
Arts + education:
Thatcher was the first post-war Oxford educated PM not to receive an honorary degree from Oxford, due to her cuts of public spenidng to higher education. The arts were often anti-thatcher due to her cuts of public spending to the arts. Playwriters such as David Hare wrote plays that satirised Thatcherism.
Pressure groups:
The CND continued to grow in strength due to Thatcher's backing of nuclear deterrent and stepping up the arms race against the USSR. 1983, 70,000 plug protested, forming a 14 mille human chain against the arrival of US Cruise Missiles.
The Church:
The Church of England published the 1985, Faith in the city report which called for the gov to do more to help deprived communities + bishops likes David Sheppard in Liverpool were outspoken in their criticism of Thatcher.
Environmentalism:
Awareness of environmental concerns grew in the 80s, influence by environmental distorter such as the 1984 Bhopal factory gas leak which killed up to 8,000 ppl. Environmental pressure groups like Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth grew in strength.
Greenham women:
1981, a group of women set up a camp outside where the Cruise missile were to be based in protest, this remained for 19 years and became a focal point for feminism and pacifism.