Twelve Mrs Thatcher’s legacy: getting it in perspective
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Howard Glennerster
Abstract
This chapter summarises the four perspectives on Thatcherism. These range from the ‘wicked witch’ theory to the views that not much has really changed. It is argued that there have been important changes in the British welfare state, and that some of these were probably necessary. It considers the challenges posed by the Conservatives to traditional assumptions about the role of the state, the authority of professionals, and the association of universality with uniformity. The chapter also states that the destruction of the industrial base of the UK and the high levels of unemployment associated with it may be too expensive for a partially reorganised welfare state.
Abstract
This chapter summarises the four perspectives on Thatcherism. These range from the ‘wicked witch’ theory to the views that not much has really changed. It is argued that there have been important changes in the British welfare state, and that some of these were probably necessary. It considers the challenges posed by the Conservatives to traditional assumptions about the role of the state, the authority of professionals, and the association of universality with uniformity. The chapter also states that the destruction of the industrial base of the UK and the high levels of unemployment associated with it may be too expensive for a partially reorganised welfare state.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- Notes on contributors v
- Introduction 1
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Developments in UK social policy
- Housing policy: coming in from the cold? 13
- The NHS in England: from modernisation to marketisation? 29
- Developments in social security 45
- The rise of the meritocracy? New Labour and education in the second term 61
- The personal social services 81
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Social policy in the wider context
- ‘Scottish solutions to Scottish problems’? Social welfare in Scotland since devolution 101
- The primacy of ideology: social policy and the first term of the National Assembly for Wales 121
- Attlee versus Blair: Labour governments and progressive social policy in historical perspective 143
- Christian democracy, social democracy and the continental ‘welfare without work’ syndrome 167
- Activation through thick and thin: progressive approaches to labour market activation 187
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Social policy since 1979 – the impact of Thatcherism
- Social policy since 1979: a view from the right 211
- Mrs Thatcher’s legacy: getting it in perspective 231
- Privatisation, privatisation, privatisation: the British welfare state since 1979 251
- Social policy since 1979: a view from the USA 271
- Index 291
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- Notes on contributors v
- Introduction 1
-
Developments in UK social policy
- Housing policy: coming in from the cold? 13
- The NHS in England: from modernisation to marketisation? 29
- Developments in social security 45
- The rise of the meritocracy? New Labour and education in the second term 61
- The personal social services 81
-
Social policy in the wider context
- ‘Scottish solutions to Scottish problems’? Social welfare in Scotland since devolution 101
- The primacy of ideology: social policy and the first term of the National Assembly for Wales 121
- Attlee versus Blair: Labour governments and progressive social policy in historical perspective 143
- Christian democracy, social democracy and the continental ‘welfare without work’ syndrome 167
- Activation through thick and thin: progressive approaches to labour market activation 187
-
Social policy since 1979 – the impact of Thatcherism
- Social policy since 1979: a view from the right 211
- Mrs Thatcher’s legacy: getting it in perspective 231
- Privatisation, privatisation, privatisation: the British welfare state since 1979 251
- Social policy since 1979: a view from the USA 271
- Index 291
