The Legacy of Thatcherism
Assessing and Exploring Thatcherite Social and Economic Policies
Published on 27. February 2014
Book
Paperback/Softback
260 pages
978-0-19-726570-3 (ISBN)
Description
Three decades after the election of Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister, it is perhaps time to take stock of the concept of 'Thatcherism' and the prominent role it has played in the history of post-war Britain.
Of course, there is much debate about what Thatcherism actually was or is. Some commentators argue that Thatcherism was more noteworthy for its rhetoric than for its achievements. The welfare state, for example, emerged little changed after eleven years of Thatcherism. Some historians additionally suggest that other social forces that existed prior to Thatcher will outlast her.
Yet, whichever way one looks at it, the Thatcherite project of the 1980s brought about a fundamental reorganisation of much of the UK's social and economic life. Did Thatcherite policies dramatically alter the trajectory of the country's development? Can even long-term and seemingly enduring path dependencies be altered as dramatically as claimed?. Ought Thatcher's period in office be seen as a 'critical juncture' for the UK? This book brings together a range of experts in housing, economics, law and order, education, welfare, families, geography and politics to discuss the enduring legacy of those social and economic policies initiated by the first of the UK's New Right governments (1979-1990).
Of course, there is much debate about what Thatcherism actually was or is. Some commentators argue that Thatcherism was more noteworthy for its rhetoric than for its achievements. The welfare state, for example, emerged little changed after eleven years of Thatcherism. Some historians additionally suggest that other social forces that existed prior to Thatcher will outlast her.
Yet, whichever way one looks at it, the Thatcherite project of the 1980s brought about a fundamental reorganisation of much of the UK's social and economic life. Did Thatcherite policies dramatically alter the trajectory of the country's development? Can even long-term and seemingly enduring path dependencies be altered as dramatically as claimed?. Ought Thatcher's period in office be seen as a 'critical juncture' for the UK? This book brings together a range of experts in housing, economics, law and order, education, welfare, families, geography and politics to discuss the enduring legacy of those social and economic policies initiated by the first of the UK's New Right governments (1979-1990).
Reviews / Votes
Among the wealth of literature on Thatcher and Thatcherism, this book deserves to be seen as a major contribution to the field. An accessible, well-written, informative and refreshing perspective, this text is an engaging must-read for British politics academics and students, as well as those with a general interest in the area. * Leanne-Marie Cotter, Political Studies Review *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
12 figures
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 21 mm
Weight
566 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-726570-3 (9780197265703)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Stephen Farrall is Professor of Criminology and Director of the Centre for Criminological Research at the University of Sheffield. Previous monographs of his include: Godfrey, B., Cox, D. and Farrall, S. (2011) Serious Criminals: A Historical Study of Habitual Criminals, Clarendon Studies in Criminology, Oxford University Press and Farrall, S., Jackson, J. and Gray, E. (2009) Social Order and the Fear of Crime in Contemporary Times, Clarendon Studies in Criminology, Oxford University Press. He is currently continuing to research the Thatcherite influence on crime with Will Jennings, Colin Hay and Emily Gray (funded by the ESRC).
Colin Hay is Professor of Government and Comparative Public Policy at Sciences Po, Paris and an Affiliate Professor of Political Analysis at the University of Sheffield where he co-founded the Sheffield Political Economy Research Institute. He is the author of a number of books including, most recently, The Failure of Anglo-Liberal Capitalism (Palgrave 2013) and The Political Economy of European Welfare Capitalism (Palgrave 2012, with Daniel Wincott). He is editor or co-editor of the journals New Political Economy, Comparative European Politics and British Politics.
Colin Hay is Professor of Government and Comparative Public Policy at Sciences Po, Paris and an Affiliate Professor of Political Analysis at the University of Sheffield where he co-founded the Sheffield Political Economy Research Institute. He is the author of a number of books including, most recently, The Failure of Anglo-Liberal Capitalism (Palgrave 2013) and The Political Economy of European Welfare Capitalism (Palgrave 2012, with Daniel Wincott). He is editor or co-editor of the journals New Political Economy, Comparative European Politics and British Politics.
Content
PART ONE: SETTING THE SCENE
1: Colin Hay and Stephen Farrall: Interrogating and Conceptualising the Legacy of Thatcherism
PART TWO: SPECIFIC POLICY DOMAINS
2: Helen Thompson: The Thatcherite Economic Legacy
Commentary: The Long Run Economic Consequences of Mrs Thatcher
3: Michael Hill and Alan Walker: What were the lasting effects of Thatcher's Legacy for Social Security? The Burial of Beveridge?
Commentary: What were the lasting effects of Thatcher's legacy for social security? A Commentary
4: Peter Dorey: The Legacy of Thatcherism for Education Policies: Markets, Managerialism and Malice (towards Teachers)
Commentary: English Passions: Thatcherism and Schooling
5: Ken Murie: The Housing Legacy of Thatcherism
Commentary: Thatcherism and housing policy: a commentary
6: Miriam David: What were the lasting effects of Thatcher's Legacy for Families in the UK?
Commentary: Women, the Family and Contemporary Conservative Party Politics: From Thatcher to Cameron
7: Stephen Farrall and Will Jennings: Thatcherism and Crime: The Beast that Never Roared?
Commentary: Thatcherism and Crime: The Beast that Never Roared?: A Commentary
8: Danny Dorling: Mapping the Thatcherite Legacy: The human geography of social inequality in Britain since the 1970s
Commentary: Mrs Thatcher's iniquitous geographies: why spatial dynamics matter
9: Carol Walker: 'Don't cut down the tall poppies': Thatcherism and the Strategy of Inequality
Commentary: Inequality, its persistence and its costs
PART THREE: CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS
10: Colin Hay and Stephen Farrall: Locating 'Thatcherism' in the 'here and now'
1: Colin Hay and Stephen Farrall: Interrogating and Conceptualising the Legacy of Thatcherism
PART TWO: SPECIFIC POLICY DOMAINS
2: Helen Thompson: The Thatcherite Economic Legacy
Commentary: The Long Run Economic Consequences of Mrs Thatcher
3: Michael Hill and Alan Walker: What were the lasting effects of Thatcher's Legacy for Social Security? The Burial of Beveridge?
Commentary: What were the lasting effects of Thatcher's legacy for social security? A Commentary
4: Peter Dorey: The Legacy of Thatcherism for Education Policies: Markets, Managerialism and Malice (towards Teachers)
Commentary: English Passions: Thatcherism and Schooling
5: Ken Murie: The Housing Legacy of Thatcherism
Commentary: Thatcherism and housing policy: a commentary
6: Miriam David: What were the lasting effects of Thatcher's Legacy for Families in the UK?
Commentary: Women, the Family and Contemporary Conservative Party Politics: From Thatcher to Cameron
7: Stephen Farrall and Will Jennings: Thatcherism and Crime: The Beast that Never Roared?
Commentary: Thatcherism and Crime: The Beast that Never Roared?: A Commentary
8: Danny Dorling: Mapping the Thatcherite Legacy: The human geography of social inequality in Britain since the 1970s
Commentary: Mrs Thatcher's iniquitous geographies: why spatial dynamics matter
9: Carol Walker: 'Don't cut down the tall poppies': Thatcherism and the Strategy of Inequality
Commentary: Inequality, its persistence and its costs
PART THREE: CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS
10: Colin Hay and Stephen Farrall: Locating 'Thatcherism' in the 'here and now'