Overview Flashcards
(15 cards)
Context
Political Career
MP in 1959
Heath’s cabinet in 1970, Secretary of State for Education
Successfully challenged Heath for party leadership in 1975
1979 Election
Main Focus
Economic issues, pledged to control inflation + reduce power of trade unions
1979 Election
Campaign Tactics
Advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi
‘Labour Isn’t Working’ poster
Gained support from trad Labour voters, first time voters + Liberals (1974)
1979 Elections
Manifesto
Five major areas
* Health of economic + social life
* Restore incentives so hard work pays
* Uphold Parliament and rule of law
* Support family life - home ownership, welfare, education
* Strengthen Britain’s defences
1979 Election
Overall Swing
Swing of 5.2%, largest since 1945
Conservatives had workable majority of 43
Continued Cons rule for 18 years
Defining Thatcherism
Thatcherism
Radically different from mainstream Conservative ideas
Series of essential ideas and principles
Defining Thatcherism
Conviction Politics
Believed politics should be rooted in fundamental beliefs of political leaders
Saw compromise as a weakness
Departure from post-war consensus
Defining Thatcherism
Main points of ‘New Right’ Ideology
Thatcher + Reagan key figures
Neo-Liberalism
Neo-Conservatism
Defining Thatcherism
‘New Right’
Neo-Liberalism
Limited intervention in economy
Economic policies:
* Privatization,
* Reduced gov spending (austerity),
* Deregulation of industry,
* Free trade.
Defining Thatcherism
‘New-Right’
Neo-Conservatism
Social + moral - focus on rights of individual + law and order
* Nationalism
* Tradition
* Patriotism
* Christian morality
Defining Thatcherism
Rule of Law
Saw law as vital in defence of individual rights
Suspicious of radical protests (marches, strikes, rallies) - saw as undemocratic
Believed reform should come about through politics and elections
Defining Thatcherism
Nationalism
Thatcher believer in virtues of ‘Britishness’
Famous ‘Eurosceptic’, suspicious of European involvement in British affairs
Thatcher Timeline
First Term (1979-1983)
Cutting supply of money, took action to curb union power
Not immediately successful - unemployment doubled by 1983, Britain’s manufacturing output fell by 30%
But Falkland’s War (1982) led to surge in popularity
Thatcher Timeline
Second Term (1983-1987)
Privatisation of state-owned assets
Centralised more power in Whitehall, surrounded herself with unelected ‘political advisors’
Miners’ Strike (1984), battle with IRA, tough stance on Soviet Union
Thatcher Timeline
Third Term (1987-1990)
Policies unpopular - Poll Tax (1989)
Resigned November 1990 after leadership challenge
1992 entered House of Lords as Baroness Thatcher
