Thatcherism

Mrs Thatcher has dominated British politics for over a decade, yet the nature, significance and staying power of Thatcherism are still hotly disputed. In the British context, Thatcherism is a shorthand for the break with the politics and economics of the 1950s and 1960s, based on full employment, the Welfare State, the mixed economy, and a corporatist approach to governing. However, it also stands for a much wider movement of opionion, by no means confined to Britain, and characterized, above all else, by a revival of belief in the market economy, a mistrust of the state, and a rejection of collectivism. The contributors to this challenging book are drawn from across the political spectrum, and include both critics and admirers of Thatcherism: between them they not only shed light on a remarkable political phenomenon, but attempt to answer some of the most urgent questions of our time. Is Thatcherism a new dawn, or a false dawn? Is it an idea whose time has come? If so, why - and for how long?