tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6606798.post4265293792144628086..comments2024-03-27T16:39:43.522+00:00Comments on Liberal England: Thoughts on the death of Margaret ThatcherJonathan Calderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730157683743989696noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6606798.post-27935868466153227322013-04-09T17:46:02.447+01:002013-04-09T17:46:02.447+01:00Laura
Mining was being run down humanely - no cha...Laura<br /><br />Mining was being run down humanely - no change from the way mines had been run down uner labour. <br /><br />But the scargill decided to try to bring down the Government with a politcal strike Simonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6606798.post-10018739490701083382013-04-09T00:02:57.277+01:002013-04-09T00:02:57.277+01:00"Coal mining could have been run down more hu..."Coal mining could have been run down more humanely" < *Should* have been run down humanely, because the people who lived there were literal actual human beings. That running it down otherwise was ever considered a choice is what makes it such a painful memory. Lauranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6606798.post-91168542689867942232013-04-08T22:13:36.576+01:002013-04-08T22:13:36.576+01:00I pondered an old past post from Jonathan about On...I pondered an old past post from Jonathan about On the Buses over the Easter weekend whilst watching two of the films on TV. The 1970s provide me with many great memories but they were grim times too, socially and economically. Situation comedies (eg On the Buses, Terry and June, Love thy Neighbour) exaggerate 1970s attitudes but they hold a lot of truth. <br /><br />Something had to be done but what Thatcher delivered was brutal and destructive. Accelerating the demise of dying industries cost tax payers more than standing by their inevitable demise. Restrictions on council house building (following the compulsory house sale act) were spiteful. Her accommodation of homophobes, hangers and anti-abortionists compromised the liberalism that she learned as a lawyer. She was a much more complicated person than has been shown in the eulogies today.<br /><br />Sitcom writers had partial revenge in the 1980s with Only Fools and Horses; but British people are suckers for loveable rogues. <br /><br />Maybe media studies deserves a little bit more respect.Phil Beesleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18442987962398498812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6606798.post-13195950232269738472013-04-08T21:32:41.630+01:002013-04-08T21:32:41.630+01:00A good rational tribute.
I was also sad to hear s...A good rational tribute.<br /><br />I was also sad to hear she had died.<br />Also sad to see so much human hate on Facebook and Twitter.Martin Brookes @oakhamukhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08453661497127009763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6606798.post-86484443332531176222013-04-08T19:44:28.951+01:002013-04-08T19:44:28.951+01:00Margaret Thatcher and her supporters had a vision ...Margaret Thatcher and her supporters had a vision and she had the drive and ability to implement it. What followed has been mediocrity. <br /><br />Her reign ended after the "Lawson Boom" a debt fuelled housing and stock market bubble. Frankly not much different from the demise of new labour.<br /><br />The analogy with Beeching is apt. He modernised but is remembered for cutting much loved but often pointless relics.John Holtnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6606798.post-83288583570190853762013-04-08T19:15:55.861+01:002013-04-08T19:15:55.861+01:00Not being a Conservative I have never been able to...Not being a Conservative I have never been able to get my head around why they so idolised her. It’s like me being a railway enthusiast trying to understand why some folks thought Beeching was doing us a favour by closing many of our railways.<br /><br />Frankly, I saw Margaret Thatcher as being a negative influence on our society. Yes, OK I am from Nottinghamshire mining stock so you could say I have an axe to grind but even putting that prejudice to one side I just saw her as a divisive figure who seemed to be promoting a view of the world which on one level you could say was playing to our most self-interested instincts.<br /><br />It also has to be said that her government started what I see as the start of the decline in our financial institutions via the demutualisation of our building societies. This move, which seemed to symbolise greed over sensible management of savings, played very much to our more selfish instincts as we gained and then sold shares in mutual institutions that subsequently were either taken over by big banks or went bust because they were no longer managed well.<br /><br />Sadly, instead of being able to celebrate our first female Prime Minister I really do wonder whether she helped to lay the foundations for our seemingly more selfish society.<br />Democracy Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11125575273547374747noreply@blogger.com