Page 2 | Im putting this up to as a survey. Its about Thatcher.

ivanhoe · 2011-01-28T19:56:26+00:00

How many people on this site believe Thatcher created a cult of individualism in this country ? Also, if you believe Thatcher had the power to destroy society/communities. How do you think she did this ?

Bunbaker · 29/01/2011 19:09

ivanhoe you are referring to the brilliant Auf Wiedersehen Pet. We never missed an episode.

I live in South Yorkshire. You may safely assume that there are no Maggie Thatcher fans round here

Original poster

ivanhoe · 29/01/2011 19:01

Thatcher sold off council houses during her "right to buy". Through the 80's she would not allow local authorities to build any more council houses.

British builders were forced to go to Germany to work, due to there being no building work in Britain.

There was a comedy programme about 4 British builders working in Germany during the 80's.

This programe epitomised Britain's stagnasion of building council houses during the 80's under Thatcher

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onimolap · 29/01/2011 18:51

Cancel my last: I've done some googling. The right of councils to sell to their tenants has always existed. It used however to be very rarely done. It really started in the 1960s (by GLC), but dropped out of favour in the 1970s.

The Housing Act (1980) encouraged it to start up again, and all proceeds went to the councils. However, the first call on the funds thus realised was the clearing of the Council's debts. Only once those were paid off, could the money then be reinvested into whatever projects, including housing, the Council decided.

I suppose the question is also whether it is right to run public services on an overdraft. It's easy rack up bills whilst you spend lavishly (and presumably hope it's not you that has to clean up the mess when your credit runs out).

onimolap · 29/01/2011 18:34

I was talking to MIL recently about how the proceeds of sales of council houses was used. Do either of you have a link to an authoritative account?

I didn't think it went to central Govt: they weren't the owners. Didn't each Council choose how to use the money?

Original poster

ivanhoe · 29/01/2011 18:27

//////For selling off the council properties and not giving the money back to the local councils to build new (which is what was supposed to happen but instead central government kept it) I detest the woman.

The changes she made to the housing situation is a key factor to the mess we're now in//////

Absolutely correct on all factors.

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CarGirl · 29/01/2011 17:44

For selling off the council properties and not giving the money back to the local councils to build new (which is what was supposed to happen but instead central government kept it) I detest the woman.

The changes she made to the housing situation is a key factor to the mess we're now in.

coldtits · 29/01/2011 17:35

Original poster

ivanhoe · 29/01/2011 17:34

///////Ivanhoe, that's so much better, thank you.

I can't really offer anything else to this thread as am 80s child.///////

That's my pleasure.

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coldtits · 29/01/2011 17:29

Ivanhoe, that's so much better, thank you.

I can't really offer anything else to this thread as am 80s child.

Original poster

ivanhoe · 29/01/2011 17:11

""BelleDameSansMerci Sat 29-Jan-11 14:59:59
I loathe her and what she did to parts of this country. I think her policies/ethos have contributed considerably to the situation we're in today""

You "think" right.

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coldtits · 29/01/2011 16:20

My quotes are about the 2 - you have to press shift

throckenholt · 29/01/2011 15:18

I think she also helped to polarise the country as well - the southeast and the rest. And made the country even more London centric than it was already.

BelleDameSansMerci · 29/01/2011 14:59

I loathe her and what she did to parts of this country. I think her policies/ethos have contributed considerably to the situation we're in today.

throckenholt · 29/01/2011 14:54

Where are the quote marks ?

above the 2 on my keyboard. Or you can use a > like I did.

throckenholt · 29/01/2011 14:53

"Many communities depended on skilled manufacturing industry that no longer exists"

Many communities in the early 20th century relied on the sale and management of horses. When the internal combution engine came in, the smart ones retrained as mechanics...

true - but sadly in the case of the UK in the 80s it wasn't a case of retraining but buying our horses from aborad where humans rights were less well respected and corners and costs could be cut. And also they were often more polluting (thinking of lower quality coal here).

If the global market paid the true costs of transport (eg really factored in the costs of global warming etc) rather than the short term costs, then it would not be cheaper to import everything, but better to keep our own skilled workforce to build our own goods.

Original poster

ivanhoe · 29/01/2011 14:33

/////Ivanhoe, your habit of using ///// instead of quote marks is very annoying - are you having a keyboard malfuntion?/////

Where are the quote marks ?

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coldtits · 29/01/2011 14:21

Ivanhoe, your habit of using ///// instead of quote marks is very annoying - are you having a keyboard malfuntion?

Chil1234 · 29/01/2011 14:15

"Many communities depended on skilled manufacturing industry that no longer exists"

Many communities in the early 20th century relied on the sale and management of horses. When the internal combution engine came in, the smart ones retrained as mechanics...

Original poster

ivanhoe · 29/01/2011 14:14

////////Chil1234 Sat 29-Jan-11 14:02:09
"But what if I hadn't?"

You seemed to be implying earlier that you were in regular employment until 1979 when suddenly the policies of privatisation, being laid off for profit etc., made you unemployable. And if that's not the case then what's your point?////

Maybe I could have worded my response slightly better.

In anycase i've always worked, and stll am.

But what if I had said to you that I hadnt worked since 1979, what would your reponse have been to that ?

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Original poster

ivanhoe · 29/01/2011 14:09

///////throckenholt Sat 29-Jan-11 13:18:28
I think she helped to create a culture of greed and consumerism.

I think she blighted communities by hammering industry - many communities depended on a skilled manufacturing industry that no longer exists. Destroyed income and also self respect.////

Again I respond.

Thatcher put millions on the dole where they could be controlled by their Tory masters.

Where they could be chastised by their not so unfortunate fellow countrymen who still fail to see any further than their own front door, and this is the very subtle way our Society and communities have collapsed.

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Chil1234 · 29/01/2011 14:02

"But what if I hadn't?"

You seemed to be implying earlier that you were in regular employment until 1979 when suddenly the policies of privatisation, being laid off for profit etc., made you unemployable. And if that's not the case then what's your point?

Original poster

ivanhoe · 29/01/2011 13:58

//////throckenholt Sat 29-Jan-11 13:18:28
I think she helped to create a culture of greed and consumerism.

I think she blighted communities by hammering industry - many communities depended on a skilled manufacturing industry that no longer exists. Destroyed income and also self respect./////

Brilliantly observed.

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Original poster

ivanhoe · 29/01/2011 13:57

/////Chil1234 Sat 29-Jan-11 12:59:02
So you haven't worked since 1979?////

Good god yes, of course, and still am.

But what if I hadnt ?

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Bunbaker · 29/01/2011 13:23

I agree throckenholt. Remember yuppies?

throckenholt · 29/01/2011 13:23

I also wonder where our North Sea Oil revenue went to ? Subsidised unemployment and privatisation probably.

I am mid 40s by the way and remember the late 70s - albeit as a child.

Change is inevitable - but ideological dogma can materially alter the way change is managed. Similar to our current situation I fear.