Impact of Thatcherism on society: sale of council houses; miners' strike…

The idea

Thatcherism profoundly reshaped British society, championing individualism over collectivism. The 1980 Housing Act introduced the 'Right to Buy', leading to the sale of over a million council houses, fostering a property-owning democracy but depleting social housing stock. Industrial relations were transformed by the defeat of the 1984-1985 miners' strike, alongside other disputes like the Wapping print workers' strike, which severely weakened trade union power. The introduction of the Community Charge, or 'poll tax', in 1989-1990 provoked widespread fury due to its regressive nature. This sparked intense extra-parliamentary opposition, including the 1990 Trafalgar Square riots, and environmental protests, highlighting deep societal divisions and ultimately contributing to Thatcher's downfall.

What earns the marks

• Analyse the social impact of the 'Right to Buy' scheme, noting its success in increasing homeownership alongside the long-term shortage of affordable social housing.
• Evaluate the causes, events, and consequences of the 1984-1985 miners' strike, emphasising the government's preparation and the resulting decline in trade union influence.
• Examine other significant industrial disputes of the era, such as the Wapping dispute, to demonstrate the broader legislative and practical defeat of union power.
• Assess the reasons for the introduction of the poll tax and why its flat-rate nature was perceived as fundamentally unfair by the public.
• Discuss the role and effectiveness of extra-parliamentary opposition, including CND protests, Greenham Common, and the anti-poll tax riots, in challenging government policy.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Stating the miners' strike was solely about pay.

  Put it right by explaining it was primarily about the planned closure of uneconomic pits and the preservation of mining communities.

• Assuming the poll tax was a tax on voting.

  Put it right: It was actually a flat-rate local government tax (Community Charge) levied on every adult resident regardless of income.

• Ignoring extra-parliamentary opposition beyond the poll tax riots.

  Put it right: Ensure you include other movements like the Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp or environmental campaigns.

Exam tips

• Contrast the government's successful preparation for the 1984 miners' strike, such as stockpiling coal, with the Heath government's failures in the 1970s.
• Use the 'Right to Buy' policy as a primary example of Thatcher's ideological goal to create a property-owning democracy and reduce state dependency.
• Link the widespread extra-parliamentary opposition to the poll tax directly to the internal Conservative Party pressure that led to Thatcher's resignation in 1990.