Impact of Thatcherism (1979-1987)
, Thatcher’s style of leadership
Conviction politician: • Thatcherism can be seen more of a style rather than a
someone who follows ideology.
policies based on their • Thatcher described herself as a ‘conviction politician’.
own beliefs. E.g.. • Thatcher was dismissive of the PWC- saw it as respon
Section 28 (forbade Britain’s ills.
promotion of • Resolutely middle class.
homosexuality) • Put an emphasis on order- nuclear family.
• Populist- strive to appeal to the popular choice.
1981 party conference:
• Self reliance and self improvement lay at the heart of
“You turn if you want
to- the lady’s not for • Outsider, even though she went to Oxford and becam
turning” lawyer- not traditionally Conservative in background.
• Suburban, from trade, and a woman.
, Thatcher’s ideology
John Ranelagh,
Thatcherite in 1970s
• Influenced by other intellectuals in the Conservati
research theory: party.
“Thatcher herself • Thatcherism was based on some traditional Conse
was not an thinking by some intellectuals (e.g., Powell) and so
intellectual, but she her own instincts.
respected intellect
• Heavily influenced by ”New Right” think tanks.
and looked for it in
her people” • Thatcherites were supportive of the police and to
law-and-order issues.
Think tanks:
Organization that
• By the mid 80s, this led to accusations that the po
researches potential were becoming ’politicized’.
policies
, New
Right
Tebbit’s • New Right’s analysis of Britain’s economic decline mea
beliefs- that they rejected Keynesianism economics in favor of
Individuals monetarism and free markets.
should take
• Thatcherites viewed Britain’s economic decline as a
responsibility
for their own
result of the failures of the successive post-war
actions. governments.
• Lecture to the Disraeli society 1985- Tebbit said that
“the trigger of today’s outburst of crime and violence
lies in the era and attitudes of post-war funk which ga
birth to the permissive society”.