Word: thatcherism
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1990-1999
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...Margaret Thatcher never minced words during her 11 1/2 years as British Prime Minister, and will not do so now. But she exaggerates the changes her country's Conservative government has set in train since an intraparty revolt four months ago replaced her with her Chancellor of the Exchequer, John Major...
During her tenure, Thatcher effected changes in British life that are now probably beyond anybody's power, or even wish, to undermine; not even the Labourites, for example, would want to restore the stranglehold that unions exercised on the pre-Thatcher economy. Nor has Major shown much philosophical deviation from Thatcherism: the impulse to rely on private enterprise rather than government still rules...
...there are differences that go beyond the contrast between Major's low- key amiability and Thatcher's imperious hectoring. Less ideological and less combative than Thatcher, Major also is far more ready to dump a policy that is going wrong. He proved it last week by washing his hands of Thatcher's widely hated poll...
...budget restricted tax breaks on mortgage interest paid by higher- salaried home buyers. Thatcher had opposed any measures that would discourage homeownership. It stepped up an already scheduled increase in the benefit paid weekly to mothers for each child; the new level will be $16.56 for the eldest child, $13.43 for younger ones. By contrast the budget imposed new levies on executives who receive "in-kind" benefits such as the use of company cars and mobile telephones; private car phones provided by employers will be taxed $356 a year. These measures hardly add up to a change in direction...
Major has also changed the tone of some British foreign policies. Like Thatcher he opposes any further political integration of the 12-nation European Community, but he does not share her aversion to greater economic unity. He said in a recent speech that Britain's "rightful place" was "at the very heart of Europe," a remark no one could imagine Thatcher making...