The Student Room Group

Why do people hate Margaret Thatcher so much?

Scroll to see replies

Reply 40
ChemistBoy
To make a political point - which is where the government crossed the line.

What was their political point? If the mines weren't striking, they weren't political enemies.
JonD
What was their political point? If the mines weren't striking, they weren't political enemies.


They were members of the NUM though, it didn't matter to thatcher by that point. Remember she had been forced to capitulate earlier in her premiership.

The tory government already had plans to reduce the coal industry, however the fiasco created by Scargill and co only served to strengthen Thatcher's resolve - it turned an economic battle into an idealogical battle.
Reply 42
ChemistBoy
They were members of the NUM though, it didn't matter to thatcher by that point. Remember she had been forced to capitulate earlier in her premiership.

The tory government already had plans to reduce the coal industry, however the fiasco created by Scargill and co only served to strengthen Thatcher's resolve - it turned an economic battle into an idealogical battle.

If it was an ideological battle, why were the mines not mutualised or privitised?
Socrates
Its what happens when a PM is in power for so long.

It's really, REALLY not just that. My personal grievance is partly the way she dealt with the miners, but this was just a small part of it. Pushing the dogma of privatisation, and tax cuts, have had a real negative impact on the lives of most people in Britain today. She also made 'short termism' the status quo, so we can thank her, for example, for our wonderful train network, and the upcoming gutting of Royal Mail.

And, of course, she was sickeningly snobby. I remember her 'Not only am I going to be the first female Prime Minister, I'm going to be the first Prime Minister with a science degree, got it?!' with particular pain.
"privatisation"

Seen as widely successful.

"tax cuts"

Increase economic incentives and growth.

"real negative impact on the lives of most people in Britain today"

She got more votes each election she was in.

"train network"

That was Major, not Thatcher.
Reply 45
TKR
because she crushed the unions


Thank **** for that. I'm not being dictated to by a bunch of left-wing idiots. Nor am I wanting them dictating to workers when they may and may not work.

and was generally a bit of a condescending right wing biatch


I believe she talked a lot about personal responsibility and liberty. Hardly condescending - unless of course you're incapable of handling it.

spacedonkey
She preached greed.


No, personal responsibility. There is a difference.

If people want to give money by charity then that is their own concern - the state shouldn't be forcing them to do so. There is no morality in that: the state is using stolen money and the taxed citizen has no choice.
Dhesi
She is generally hated by working class people who think she made the rich richer and the poor poorer.


Not the working class people round where I live who appreciate the fact that she extended opportunities for home ownership and created a service based economy so that working class people no longer have to do tough manual work like mining!
Reply 47
^ because, y'know, as soon as they were thrown out of the mines they all went straight into shop jobs, right?...
woohoo my first neg rep and I get called a "gimp" to boot!
I hate her to bits because of her personal involvement in the rise of the terrible, terrible evil known simply as 'neoliberalism'.
-Leo-
^ because, y'know, as soon as they were thrown out of the mines they all went straight into shop jobs, right?...


The bottom line is this: she initiated the major economic reforms which have benefitted the working class to this day (and will continue to do so in the future).
jasperstory
I hate her to bits because of her personal involvement in the rise of the terrible, terrible evil known simply as 'neoliberalism'.


Do you hate Marx for causing the rise of communism?
No. I congradulate and adore Marx for perfecting Communism.
Despite the fact it killed more people than Hitler's Nazis?
Reply 54
spacedonkey
She preached greed.

you say that like its a bad thing.
Reply 55
Greyhound02
The bottom line is this: she initiated the major economic reforms which have benefitted the working class to this day (and will continue to do so in the future).



If Thatcherites once equated her reforms to performing major surgery on the economy (painful but perhaps necessary) I'd argue that this analogy ends with the idea of following up the patient afterwards: What was provided for those who were forced into unemployment or bankruptcy as a result of her policies?

However, to ponder on the above point seems to veer off topic.
This thread simply asks why do people hate her, and I think her critics largely attack her for letting a great deal of people become unemployed and then effectively forgetting about them.
Reply 56
Why do people hate Margaret Thatcher so much?

I will sum it up in 2 words.......POLL TAX
She managed to stay in power because of how she managed the Falklands War.
Reply 57
I recommend you do some reading up on the poll tax...the issues surrounding it are not as cut and dry as most people seem to assume - for example, look into the actions of labour borough councils when introducing the tax.
It was, infact, an inherantly fair system, but apparently treating everyone equally is a taboo in this country at present.
If people really hated Margaret Thatcher so much then they should have exercised their democratic right and kicked her out. They didn't though, they kept on giving her the thumbs up and those who dislike her with such a passion will simply have to get over it.

Overall I would say she was a good PM (or atleast as good as a PM can be), though I don't think I could ever bring myself to forgive her for s.28, which I see as one of the most immoral pieces of legislation in British political history.

Still, Britain was a better place when she left office than it was when she was elected for the first time. If anything she was a good PM merely for enduring and surviving electorally one of the most difficult political climates of the last century for 3 consecutive GEs.
JonD
If it was an ideological battle, why were the mines not mutualised or privitised?


They were privatised - R J B Mining now known as UK Coal. They currently have 8 working deep mines (pits) in the UK.

Quick Reply

Latest