Pearson Edexcel · A-Level · History
Course version: 9HI0 · Version from Sept 2015
The extent of political and social division within Britain.
Full specification wording
What impact did Thatcher’s governments (1979–90) have on Britain, 1979–97?: The extent of political and social division within Britain.
This topic assesses the extent of political and social division in Britain, 1979–97.
Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 9HI0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 3 of 4
- 3 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
This topic assesses the extent of political and social division in Britain, 1979–97. Politically, Thatcher's conviction politics polarised the electorate, while Labour's internal divisions caused the 1981 SDP split. Local government clashes and Conservative divisions over Europe under Major further fractured politics. Extra-parliamentary political division surfaced in the 1990 Poll Tax riots. Socially, economic restructuring exacerbated a North-South divide. Deindustrialisation devastated working-class communities, culminating in the 1984–85 Miners' Strike. Social division also encompassed race, seen in the 1981 Brixton riots, and sexuality debates like Section 28. Evaluate whether these divisions were structural, or if policies like 'Right to Buy' created social mobility that mitigated fracture.
What earns the marks
- Analyses political division, including the polarisation of party politics, Labour's internal split forming the SDP-Liberal Alliance, and Conservative infighting over Europe.
- Evaluates social division driven by economic policy, focusing on deindustrialisation, unemployment, and the North-South divide.
- Assesses the significance of industrial and civil conflict, using the 1984–85 Miners' Strike and the 1990 Poll Tax riots as evidence of deep societal fracture.
- Examines divisions regarding race and minority rights, referencing the 1981 inner-city riots and the controversy surrounding Section 28.
- Reaches a substantiated judgement on the 'extent' of division, weighing polarising policies against unifying factors or new forms of social mobility like council house sales.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Discussing divisions from the 1970s (like the Winter of Discontent) as the main focus.
Put it right by confining primary analysis to the 1979–1997 period, using earlier events only as brief context.
Treating the working class as a monolithic group that universally opposed Thatcher.
Put it right by acknowledging that many skilled working-class voters supported Thatcherite policies like the Right to Buy.
Ignoring the Major years (1990–97).
Put it right by including political divisions under Major, particularly the Conservative civil war over the Maastricht Treaty and Black Wednesday.
Attributing the 1981 SDP split to Thatcher's policies.
Put it right by explaining it was a breakaway caused by Labour's internal left-right divisions.
Exam tips
- Address both 'political' and 'social' division explicitly; do not conflate them, though you should explain how they intersect (e.g. the Miners' Strike).
- Use precise evidence, such as the 1984-85 Miners' Strike, the 1981 Brixton riots, and the 1990 Poll Tax protests, to substantiate your arguments.
Try the lesson
The start of the What impact did Thatcher’s governments (1979–90) have on Britain, 1979–97?: The extent of political and social division within Britain. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which of the following was a major indicator of the deep social and political divisions in Britain during the 1984–85 miners' strike?
Listen
This topic assesses the extent of political and social division in Britain, 1979–97. Politically, Thatcher's conviction politics polarised the electorate, while Labour's internal divisions caused the 1981 SDP split. Local government clashes and Conservative divisions over Europe under Major further fractured politics. Extra-parliamentary political division surfaced in the 1990 Poll Tax riots. Socially, economic restructuring exacerbated a North-South divide. Deindustrialisation devastated working-class communities, culminating in the 1984–85 Miners' Strike. Social division also encompassed race, seen in the 1981 Brixton riots, and sexuality debates like Section 28. Evaluate whether these divisions were structural, or if policies like 'Right to Buy' created social mobility that mitigated fracture. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Analyses political division, including the polarisation of party politics, Labour's internal split forming the SDP-Liberal Alliance, and Conservative infighting over Europe. Evaluates social division driven by economic policy, focusing on deindustrialisation, unemployment, and the North-South divide. Assesses the significance of industrial and civil conflict, using the 1984–85 Miners' Strike and the 1990 Poll Tax riots as evidence of deep societal fracture. Examines divisions regarding race and minority rights, referencing the 1981 inner-city riots and the controversy surrounding Section 28. A common slip: Discussing divisions from the 1970s (like the Winter of Discontent) as the main focus. Instead, confining primary analysis to the 1979–1997 period, using earlier events only as brief context. Exam tip: Address both 'political' and 'social' division explicitly; do not conflate them, though you should explain how they intersect (e.g. the Miners' Strike).
See it
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Deindustrialisation and the North-South divide
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Extra-parliamentary protest and industrial conflict
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Party political realignment and internal factionalism
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See every definition
- Deindustrialisation and the North-South divide
- Economic restructuring devastated working-class communities and exacerbated a regional divide between the North and the South.
- Extra-parliamentary protest and industrial conflict
- Political division surfaced outside Parliament in the 1990 Poll Tax riots, and industrial conflict culminated in the 1984–85 Miners' Strike.
- Party political realignment and internal factionalism
- Thatcher's conviction politics polarised the electorate, Labour's internal divisions caused the 1981 SDP split, and Conservative divisions over Europe under Major further fractured politics.
Label the diagram
Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.
1Box 1
2Box 2
3Box 3
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