Thatcher's Neoliberal Revolution

📋 Course Outline

1. Political context and party relations in the UK before Thatcher
2. Margaret Thatcher's rise to power and 1979 general election campaign
3. Thatcher's critique of Labour's economic and social policies
4. Conservative ideology emphasizing personal responsibility and meritocracy
5. Thatcher's neoliberal economic principles: free market, low taxes, and wealth creation
6. Timeline and scope of UK privatisations under Thatcher government
7. Employment Act 1980 and legislative measures to restrict trade union power
8. Economic outcomes of Thatcherism: inflation reduction, growth, and industrial decline
9. The 1984-1985 miners' strike as a pivotal conflict between government and unions
10. Legislative changes post-miners' strike to limit strikes and union influence
11. Long-term divisiveness and legacy of Thatcher's policies in the UK
12. Cultural reflections on Thatcher era through contemporary voices

📖 1. Political context and party relations in the UK before Thatcher

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions

• Trade unions: Organizations representing workers that held significant power in the UK before Thatcher's reforms, with some sectors considering them unpayable.
• Public services: Essential government-provided services such as health and education that were important in the UK before Thatcher's policies.
• Margaret Thatcher: Conservative politician who rose to power in the 1970s and was elected Prime Minister in 1979.