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Thatcher

Discussion in 'General political debates' started by Caps, Feb 3, 2011.

  1. Caps

    Caps Experienced Member Experienced member Forum Member


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    Nov 3, 2010
     
    Does anyone have any recommendations for reading up critically on Thatcher? Possibly looking at her impact on politics after her reign. I know she is a wretched woman but I want to develop my knowledge beyond a vague understanding of Monetarism, 'there's no such thing as society' and that she fucked up the miners (and the rest of the poor).

    Cheers in advance.
     

  2. vAsSiLy77

    vAsSiLy77 Experienced Member Uploader Experienced member Forum Member


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    Jun 21, 2010
     
    Oh - you're into something big...

    start with this:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thatcherism
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoliberalism

    And work your way through the links - i wish you all the endurance and stamnia in the world... this thing is getting BIG... and frustrating when you realize how successful those fucks were "thinking the unthinkable".

    And personally I don't believe that she was a woman at all... :o
     
  3. JimMD

    JimMD Experienced Member Experienced member


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    If you want an insight into the political 'thinking' behind Thatcherism and Reaganomics check out 'The Constitution of Liberty' by F A Hayek. The title is utterly misleading - this is the basis for contemporary neo-liberal politics in the US, UK and beyond. Nasty stuff couched in the usual crap that liberals of all creeds spout!

    She'll be dead soon - then we can have a really good knees up. Ideally on her grave...
     
  4. nodz

    nodz Experienced Member Experienced member Forum Member


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    Thatcher, Reagan and Pinochet (along with a few others) are essentially responsible for the monetary system as we know it today. They [and their governments/advisors etc] essentially created neo-liberalism and were responsible for selling off and privatising their respective country's assets. It was a good job that the Labour opposition in Britain were particularly left wing at the time and people like Tony Benn prevented the sell off of the national health service. Now I know the national health service is not brilliant but ever seen Michael Moore's 'Sicko'? At least people in Britain can get treated (even if there is a waiting list) unlike Americans who are refused treatment if they don't have health insurance and even if they do, the insurance companies try everything they can to get out of settling claims.

    Oohh man you are in for a rough ride!!
     
  5. Flores_Magon

    Flores_Magon Experienced Member Experienced member


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    Jan 28, 2011
     
    Wierd fact I was watching a doco on Thatcher
    She was a chemist before politics and she invented
    a way of pumping air into ice cream to make it softer.
    So Margeret Thatcher invented the softserve :D
     
  6. Caps

    Caps Experienced Member Experienced member Forum Member


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    Nov 3, 2010
     
    I've read parts of Nozick's 'Anarchy, State and Utopia', another one with a ridiculously misleading title! I understand that was philosophically significant as well. Horrible book. I was looking for a critical, historical overview. Not necessarily anarchist but certainly left leaning. I will look at the wiki links though and see what comes up.

    :D

    Agreed. Having spent a lot of time in hospitals recently, I do have a great deal of appreciation for the flawed but vital service that is the NHS. I've read a fair bit on Chile and the Chicago Boys - that stuff is rotten shit.
     
  7. JOE01

    JOE01 Active Member Forum Member


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    Feb 6, 2011
     
    Well I've just finished a politics course shall we say, I wrote an essay regarding aspects of the 1984-85 miners' strike. I read a certain chapter of Thatcher's autobiographical Downing Street Years, the chapter in question was called 'Mr Scargill's insurrection'. This may not quite be critical reading, but one thing that chapter enabled me to do was to read for myself how manipulative and warped she was/is. It was heavy fucking reading, though it is most insightful it gives a clear idea of Thatcher's true personality. Your reading it and just thinking fuck you really are a nasty piece of work, just really reaffirms what I already believed about Thatcher having no heart. Another pretty interesting read I came across in this study was Mark Garnett 'From Anger to Apathy the story of politics, society and popular culture in Britain since 1975'. Hugo Young's 'One of US' is a book I’ve had for years and it supposedly gives a 'balanced' account but never got to round to reaslly reading it. A book I straight away wanted to avoid was this load of old shite by Claire Berlinksi 'There is No alternative', this woman is an American Oxford graduate who is the biggest fucking apologist and admirer of Thatcher pretty fucking sick really
     
  8. Flores_Magon

    Flores_Magon Experienced Member Experienced member


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    Jan 28, 2011
     
    I am in no way defenending politicians, their thieving bastards. But you should try and not
    force all the blame on Thatcher. Her years in parliament were some of the toughest in Brittian's
    political history.

    And concerning her lack of 'Emotional state'. Being the female in a man's dominated world is very tough.
    It is definitely more easy to be accepted into the work environment through a lack of emotion.

    Could you please link me to any intersting esseys on Thatcher. Maby ethics?
    Did you do a unit of that in University?
     
  9. JOE01

    JOE01 Active Member Forum Member


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    Feb 6, 2011
     
    That's a strange one really. You see I know a lot of women, some of them feminist, some not who refuse to recognise Thatcher as being of the same gender. Don't forget Thatcher took a huge stance against the women of Greenham common, her attack on the miners' was equally a vicious assault on women of the mining community who consequently took a massive stand in the face of Thatchers full on repression.

    Lack of emotional state was not exclusive to Thatcher, I have read aa fair few politicians biogs, and no surprise it's a common enough trait

    let me get back to you on Thatcher and ethics, I am not so aware of material on Thatcher per se just certain aspects of her era. Reading into issues like The Miners' Strike, Greenham Common, the Poll Tax and the urban disorders of 81 and 85 should throw up some pretty useful info think I have have a few PDF's of 'academic' journal articles knocking around. PM me if anyone is interested ta :)
     
  10. ZmobieBoy

    ZmobieBoy Active Member Forum Member


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    Oct 15, 2010
     
    Her favorite band was Crass.
     
  11. Caps

    Caps Experienced Member Experienced member Forum Member


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    Nov 3, 2010
     
    They loved each other.
     
  12. JOE01

    JOE01 Active Member Forum Member


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    Feb 6, 2011
     
    Some might say certain members of Crass have exhibited more Thatcherite values of late than the ones we all thought of them for, I dunno a good debate perhaps?
     
  13. Caps

    Caps Experienced Member Experienced member Forum Member


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    Nov 3, 2010
     
    Considering what the government in the UK has been up to recently, it seems Thatcherism is back with a vengeance. Not that it disappeared or anything under the Blair/Brown regime but Cameron's really brought it back to the fore. Nothing helps understanding the beast like staring it in the face.
     
  14. Flores_Magon

    Flores_Magon Experienced Member Experienced member


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    Jan 28, 2011
     
    I can't believe we are even considering this.
    Crass was totally against Thatcher they have numerious songs mentioning her and one inpitcular
    Is Gotcha- Crass

    Heres an extract:

    That is Thatcher's Britain built on national
    pride, Built on national heritage and the bodies
    of those who died To wave the flag on the
    Falklands, to protect us from the Irish hordes, To
    support the rich in their difficult task of
    protecting themselves from the poor Yes, this is
    Thatcher's Britain, so let's increase the strength
    of the police Let's expand the military, let's all
    arm for peace Let's suppress all opposition, let's
    keep the people down Let's resurrect past
    histories for the glory of the crown
     
  15. Caps

    Caps Experienced Member Experienced member Forum Member


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    Nov 3, 2010
     
    Thatcherite values of late. Talking more about current actions than previous words.

    I was joking when I said they loved each other, I assumed Zmobieboy was messing about as well. But they certainly fed off her as a figure of/to hate.
     
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