Thatcherism may be defined as the economic, social and political ideas and particular style of leadership associated with Margaret Thatcher. The British Prime Minister who served the nation from 1979 to 1990, believed in a mixture of neo-liberal beliefs in the free market and neo-conservative social attitudes and beliefs about the limited role of government. (Jones et al. 2004: 797). The Thatcherism revolution in British politics and the conservative domination in Westminster from 1979 to 1997 were provoked by counterpoint deep changes in the Labor party. After having been tempted by an electorally disastrous left-wing set of policies, the Labor party had knowledge about the 1983 general election defeat that was tilted towards a large movement of ideological renewal. Undertaken by Neil Kinnock, pursued by John Smith and achieved by Tony Blair, this wide wave of internal reforms has led to the now called ?New Labor'. We question as to what extent is Blair's New Labor the true heir to Thatcherism. It seems the influence of the Thatcher years and of some of the ideas of the New Right under the current ruling party is undisputable.
[...] Thus, one of the first things he did when he reached the head of the Labour was to rewrite its constitution, especially the clause IV relative to the socialism-through- nationalization goal. It is moreover not a secret that the prime minister is more at ease with the business men of the City than with the representatives of Trade Unions. In this point of view, the reluctance of Tony Blair to recognize the – waning – links of the New Labour with Trade unions is indicative of this will to break with Old Left tradition: no return to ‘beer and sandwiches at No.10.' All the previous points can find their counterpart in new ideological approaches within New Labour, mainly issued from the New Right movement, which found in British society with Thatcherism its political expression. [...]
[...] In this area also, as the probable general election to come will show it again, what matters in what works. Sources Dorey P., ‘British Politics since 1945' Blackwell Dorey P., ‘British Politics', Course EU 4401, session 2004-05, School of European Studies, Cardiff University; especially lectures on New Right, Thatcherism and New Labour Jones B., Kavanagh D., Moran M., Norton P. [...]
[...] There is such a thing as a society for New Labour. It rejects also total laissez-faire economics and the fatalistic acceptance of poverty made by Thatcherism. New Labour attempts to establish an ‘enabling State', which helps people being more independent, although it implicitly acknowledges the fact that the former Welfare State was developing a dependency culture. As it denies providing rights without responsibilities (‘no more something for nothing'), Blair's New Labour equally refuses to impose responsibilities without rights, a thing that Margaret Thatcher did not hesitate to implement. [...]
[...] The Thatcherite revolution in British politics and the conservative domination in Westminster from 1979 to 1997 provoked by counterpoint deep changes in the Labour party. After having been tempted by an electoraly disastrous left- wing set of policies, the Labour has known indeed from about the 1983 general election defeat onwards a large movement of ideological renewal. Undertaken by Neil Kinnock, pursued by John Smith and achieved by Tony Blair, this wide wave of internal reform has led to the now called ‘New Labour'. To what extent is Blair's New Labour the true heir to Thatcherism? [...]
[...] What new has created Blair's New Labour? The best way to approach it seems simply to consider an extract of the new clause IV of the Labour Party, written by Tony Blair himself: ‘The Labour Party is a democratic socialist party. It believes that by the strength of our common endeavour we achieve more than we achieve alone, so as to create for each of us the means to realise our true potential and for all of us a community in which power, wealth and opportunity are in the hands of the many and not the few, where the rights we enjoy reflect the duties we owe, and where live together freely, in a spirit of solidarity, tolerance and respect' (Gould 1998: 229, quoted by Jones et al. [...]
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