The Student Room Group
Reply 1
To what extent was Margaret Thatcher responsible for deprivation and poverty in former mining communities?

^ Probably too specific and it's social rather than political but it has to be 'to what extent' or similar.

A more political one might be something like:

'To what extent was Margaret Thatcher responsible for her own demise' or similar. But it will be basically impossible to talk about Thatcher politically without reference to the damage she did to society.
Reply 2
Dionysus

But it will be basically impossible to talk about Thatcher politically without reference to the damage she did to society.


oh fully- im quite happy to talk about that but i'd rather not have my essay specifically on that, but thanks for the more politically oreintated question that more along my lines

Torch
Reply 3
"To what extent was Thatcher a break from traditional conservatism?"
Reply 4
"To what extent did the Falklands War save Thatcher's premiership?"

Could be interesting, as the "Falklands factor" apparently helped her win the 1983 general election. Then again, if it's a no brainer then there's no real debate. Interesting topic - good luck :smile:.
Reply 5
Oswy
"To what extent was Thatcher a break from traditional conservatism?"


Thats the kind of question im after- im a bit worried it might be too political rather than historical?

Torch
Torch
im after- im a bit worried it might be too political rather than historical?



"History is past politics, and politics present history" so no :p:

The "Falklands Factor" is a good thing to study. There's quite a big academic debate about it.

You could look at, "Why was Thatcher able to get re-elected despite very high levels of unemployment?"

"To what extent was 'Thatcherism' unique?"

"Was 'Thatcherism' a "Conflict politics"?"
Reply 7
Oswy
"To what extent was Thatcher a break from traditional conservatism?"


do you have a book you could recommend me for the type of question?

Torch
Reply 8
Torch
do you have a book you could recommend me for the type of question?

Torch


The Politics of Thatcherism (Paperback)
by Stuart Hall (Editor), Martin Jacques (Editor)

I've not read the book - Thatcher is about 150 years outside of my historical range, but I've read bits and pieces by Stuart Hall on other topics - and he's highly regarded. It looks like it's a set of articles (the 'editor' bit gives that away) which will be even better for you because it will mean several points of view in one volume. You can get this book via Amazon for less than a fiver it seems.
Thatcherism

*A. Clark Diaries (1993)
*John O’Farrell Things Can Only Get Better (1998)
*M. Thatcher The Downing Street Years (1993)

Introductory/General

E.H.H. Green Ideologies of Conservatism: Conservative Political Ideas in the 20thC (2002) ch. 8
Peter Jenkins Mrs Thatcher’s Revolution (1987) is still useful – esp. chs 1, 2, 5, 8, & 13-16
D. Kavanagh Thatcherism and British Politics (1987).
D. Kavanagh & A. Seldon (eds.) The Thatcher Effect (1989)
D. Marquand The Unprincipled Society (1988).
P. Riddell The Thatcher Era and its Legacy (2nd ed. 1991)

The Origins of Thatcherism

E H H Green Thatcher (2005)
J. Campbell Margaret Thatcher, vol. I: The Grocer’s Daughter (2000) and vol.II: The Iron Lady (2003)
R. Cockett Thinking the Unthinkable: Think Tanks and the Economic Counter-revolution (1994)
E. Green ‘Thatcherism: An Historical Perspective’, TRHS ix (1999)
M. Wickham-Jones 'Right turn: a Revisionist Account of the 1975 Conservative Party Leadership Election', 20thCBH, viii (1997)
S.Pugliese (ed.) The Political Legacy of Margaret Thatcher: Freedom Regained? (2002)
E.J. Evans Thatcher and Thatcherism (2nd edition, 2004)

The Practice of Thatcherism

D.George Boyce The Falklands War (Palgrave, 2005)
G. Alderman Britain: a One-Party State? (1989)
CR , Autumn 1987 Symposium on 'The Thatcher years', including L. Freedman on 'The Falklands Factor'; see also Winter 1988, reply from Helmut Norpoth
D. Butler & D. Kavanagh The British General Elections of 1979/ 1983/ 1987 (1980-87)
D. Butler, A. Adonis & T. Travers, Failure in British Government: the Politics of the Poll Tax (1994)
P. Clarke 'Margaret Thatcher's Leadership in Historical Perspective', Parliamentary Affairs, xlv (1992)
I. Crewe & M. Harrop Political Communications 1983 & Political Communications, 1987
A. Gamble The Free Economy and the Strong State (1988)
S. Hall The Hard Road to Renewal (1988)
P. Jenkins Mrs Thatcher's Revolution (1987)
B. Harrison ‘Mrs Thatcher and the intellectuals’, 20th Century British History, vol.5 (1994)
R. Skidelsky (ed) Thatcherism (1988) (and see I. Crewe, CR, Feb. 1990)
H. Young One of Us: a Biography of Margaret Thatcher (1989)

You can order ANY book from your local library for a small fee (about £3-£6). If you go to your local university, you can often sign into the library as a guest and there you can use the journal articles there. :smile:

Kavanagh's "Thatcher Effect" is HIGHLY recommended.
Reply 10
fantastic cheers guys

Torch