One must never rejoice in the death of another human being. Nonetheless, for the millions of British people humiliated by Thatcherism, it will be difficult to suppress even a private fist pump upon hearing the news that Margaret Thatcher has died. Indeed, many would much prefer her ideology to die, as opposed to the individual, but do not be fooled- 8th April 2013 is a day millions have prayed for.
From Scunthorpe to Swansea, to Cornwall and Cortonwood, the legacy of the Iron Lady scars the British landscape and its people to this day. Every contemporary social problem in the United Kingdom is either a direct result of Thatcherism or the inevitable conclusion of Maggie’s race to the bottom. Inefficient, expensive yet privatised public services, an indifference to poverty, and the rise of a greedy, arrogant middle class (whose self-defence will undoubtedly litter the comment section of this article) must all be attributed to her political spectre.
Moreover, we must not forget Margaret Thatcher’s support of the apartheid regime in South Africa, her shameless alliance with the brutal Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet and the active exportation of a neoliberal paradigm that condemned billons around the world to perpetual poverty. Closer to home, whilst being an ostensible feminist success who knew her monetary policy, Thatcher helped cover up the Hillsborough disaster, encouraged millions of Britain’s working classes to take on huge debt burdens in her Right to Buy scheme, and appropriated the notion of the undeserving poor that still dominates the hearts and minds of the British Right.
Certainly, Margaret Thatcher’s death will pollute the headlines of every major news outlet for weeks but few will conclude that the Baroness’ death is ultimately inconsequential. Her legacy survived through New Labour and our beloved coalition continues to tie up loose ends.
Instead, the passing of the Iron Lady should begin a period of national introspection. The sick irony is that on a the day Margaret Thatcher dies in the Ritz Hotel, other 87 year old women who struggle with physical and mental disabilities are now being forced to accept ridiculous changes to the disability benefit system. Simply put, the many are being persecuted for the crimes of the few in modern Britain and our nation’s underclass is being subjected to an even more pernicious strain of Thatcherism.
Instead of engaging in circular arguments about Margaret Thatcher’s actions in the 1980s, focus on the challenges of the now and do not lose yourself in an empty event.
Great article and completely agree that the challenges of now should be considered not the death of an 87 year old women.
What is worrying is already how her death is being used by politicians like David Cameron to instill some constructed and politically- motivated patriotism, describing her as a ‘lion-hearted’ leader, or even worse as a feminist figure despite her attitude against women’s rights.
Naturally it is important to move on but equally how figures, particularly posthumously are used to manipulate sentiment is something that needs to be said. Just like Winston Churchill who is constantly voted as the best Briton of the 20th century, despite a controversial political life, the propaganda promoted around figures can be dangerous.
One aspect I don’t understand is why everybody keeps saying regardless of your opinion, we should celebrate the fact she had determination and self-belief. Celebrate her on the right as a figurehead of an ideology (she did not create economic liberalism by any stretch), fine, but is this even a good quality in politicians always? It hasn’t served many modern ones (Blair, Bush etc) who all believed in there decision making infallibility well, and arguably this is the quality that made her take what might have been some required efficiency reforms and go too far?
It seems as if the press are grappling desperately to find something to celebrate in her character, which was one that coldly defended the interests of one part of society despite the huge negative consequences – whether backing Britain on the international scene regardless of the damage, or supporting emerging financial services industry despite mass industrial unemployment. Perhaps the icing on the case was a comment piece I read claiming Thatcher as a gay rights activist as she had voted for decriminalisation of homosexual sex – despite marginalising the gay community for decades with Section 28!
I don’t think people should cheer at the death of any human, but we shouldn’t celebrate such a damaging life work.
“the active exportation of a neoliberal paradigm that condemned billons around the world to perpetual poverty” – this article is possibly one of the most inaccurate, exaggerated and sensationalised pieces of writing I’ve ever had the misfortune in reading.
This feels like a rather naive article written by somebody, dare I venture, who was born after Thatcher’s time? There are plenty of inaccuracies in this short piece. First, as even the most cursory glance at social spending will confirm, there was actually no race to teh bottom in Thatcher’s time. second, the right to buy scheme was rather successful for most who bought their council homes. The real problems with the RTB scheme were actually that councils were left with only the poorest stock after the sales. repossesions of RTB homes were extremely low – much lower than repossesions of of non RTB houses in the 90s.
There are genuine reasons to dislike Mrs Thatcher, both personally and politically; I remember my father being on strike for months in the mid 80s and know just how desperate things were. In some areas hard working folk were tossed on the scrapheap and have hardly worked since. Many fathers, hounded for child maintenance that they could not afford took their lives, and single mothers were persecuted. It was not a happy time.
There is no justifying much of what happened on her watch and yet, without it most of those at uni today, Blair’s children who genuinely grew up in a time when people had never had it so good, would not have enjoyed the relative comfort of their youth.
I don’t understand all the people celebrating (even a “private fist bump” as you bizarrely said) her death, she left office in 1990, the Conservative party in 1997, and she hasn’t been active in politics for many years. Surely those other dates were more important if you are a socialist than yesterday? I can’t say when she has lying in pain after months and months and months of being seriously unwell she was bothering you.
“Instead of engaging in circular arguments about Margaret Thatcher’s actions in the 1980s, focus on the challenges of the now and do not lose yourself in an empty event.”
In some ways you’re right – we shouldn’t be looking back to the debates of the 1980s because we all know that every debate Thatcher was engaged in, she won. On the unions, welfare, education, healthcare, foreign and fiscal policy she was right, and she won. On Europe, she’s being proven right with every day that passes. And Britain today is a much greater place for it.
“Inefficient, expensive yet privatised public services, an indifference to poverty, and the rise of a greedy, arrogant middle class (whose self-defence will undoubtedly litter the comment section of this article) must all be attributed to her political spectre.”
The fact is you know she won – hence this bitter little diatribe posing as an article – against the socialists like you here at home and across the seas; her philosophy and her person crushing the nonsensical ideas of collectivisation and statism. And she continues to do so “Her legacy survived through New Labour and our beloved coalition continues to tie up loose ends.”
This is a non-article. Just another middle class boy born far too late to remember the woman, reeling off a barrage of old accusations.
“She condemned billions around the world to perpetual poverty”, Really? Because that sounds like sensationalist bollocks.
“Every contemporary social problem is her fault”? Has no one since had a mind of their own, do politicians of today really have no responsibility for their actions?
You weren’t born and yet you believe her cult more than her biggest admirers. She was just a woman after all!
I didn’t expect to find much of note on vision, but this is particularly poor.
So according to the comment’s, namely chris and luke, people only get a right to make judgements on Thatcher’s time in office if they were alive at the time and experienced it… damn.
I’d better give up my history degree right now as I wasn’t alive during the C14th century. We should probably close the English lit department as well… or at least ban them from studying anything not written in the past 15 years or so. History of Art should probably go too as they often study art created before they were born. Music department sorry only living composers allowed… you just don’t understand dead ones as you weren’t there when they wrote their works. Sciences are fine as long as you don’t ever refer to any scientific theory created by a dead person- definitely don’t mention Einstein.
Oh and archeology forget it we’re closing your whole department due to over discussion of dead people