Why Were The Miners Strike Defeated ?

Question 1

Were the miners United ?

Answer 1

• Those who aimed for continued working formed a break away Union of Democratic Mineworkers in December 1984
• This mainly included the Nottinghamshire area
• viewed as a ‘scab’ by both NUM supporters and followers of Arthur Scargill
• it was a major split and they returned to work and cooperated with the Thatcher government unlike the NUM

Question 2

Why was timing important to the strike ?

Answer 2

• Began in March 1984 with a significantly decreased demand of coal due to the warmer weather
• deprived coal miners of their key weapon of their demand
• this was down to coal stocks remaining adequate

Question 3

Why was Arthur Scargill important to the strikes failure ?

Answer 3

lack of Labour support
- reluctant to support the NUM leader who received a lack of public sympathy and viewed as extremist
ballot
- April 1984 he refused to hold a National ballot as to wether to continue strike action
- deprived miners of legal legitimacy and alienated many more moderate miners workers
- soap box attitude towards strikes taking a ‘rally the troops’ style approach which was wholly unprofessional

Question 4

Why was public opinion important ?

Answer 4

Less deodorant due to the timing and violent incidents on the picket lines undermined any public support for miners

Question 5

Why was economic change improtant ?

Answer 5

Many workers suffered as a result from cheaper power sources and falling demand however many saw it impossible to continue subsidising industry regardless of importance to British history and community dependency

Question 6

Why was the governments hardline improtant ?

Answer 6

• Prepared to use considerable force agaisnt protest to protect the rights of miners who wanted to work
• Thatcher was not swayed by the scale of unrest nor the violence
• trained police forces reacted violently in response to unrest

Question 7

Why was the impact of the strike for membership ?

Answer 7

• fell from 250k in 1979 to only 100k by 1987 and the Union ended the strike virtually bankrupt with miners divided on their thoughts about Thatcher

Question 8

How were Thatcher actions viewed by her supporters ?

Answer 8

• forced miners to come to terms with their unsustainable industry
• demonstrated trade Union power was not above that of Governments

Question 9

How did her critics perceive her actions ?

Answer 9

Wantonly destroyed livelihoods and historic communities some of which never recovered