Margaret Thatcher's Revolution of 1979? (book review)
Kenneth Harris seconds this assessment in his almost laudatory biography of Thatcher. He begins by noting the similarities between Thatcher’s and Attlee’s Governments. Both stand out as significant governments in that they "both came to power promising... controversial and sweeping programmes intended... to change society." [7] Unlike other post-war Prime Ministers, both Attlee and Thatcher had their own agendas and aimed at setting the pace for British politics well beyond their administrations. [8]
Yet perhaps ironically, the post-war consensus that was a long-term result of Attlee’s Government, was something that Thatcher rose to power to destroy. [9] She first set out to destroy it within the Conservative Party by defeating Ted Heath in the Conservative Leadership election of 1975. Four years later, after being victorious in the 1979 general election, she set out to destroy it as administrative policy. Instead of pursuing a wage and incomes policy and other demand-side economic programs to conquer the then-over 20 percent annual rate of inflation, she opted for a severe deflationary set of policies that increased taxes and cut spending during a recession instead of lower taxes and increasing spending. [10] While this change in policies was anticipated by the Heath Government between 1970 and 1972 and by James Callaghan’s statement in 1976 "that the days of spending your way out of recession were gone," Thatcher was the first to implement these changes in the face of almost unprecedented political pressure not to. [11]
Harris concludes by noting the many positive economic changes that resulted as a result of Thatcher. Her strict, but "necessary," deflation policies was largely responsible for reducing inflation from over 20 percent when she took office to a little over four percent in the late 1980s. Furthermore, economic growth grew at a faster rate during the 1980s than ever before, and Thatcher was the first post-war Prime Minister able to effect the perennial dream of every post-war politician of lower inflation and increasing economic growth. [12] Her ability to effect the change necessary for such changes sets her apart from all other post-Attlee prime ministers as well as many of her contemporary politicians. To an extent unique in the twentieth century, Margaret Thatcher deserves a high level of personal credit for the changes that occurred during her Governments. [13]
Writing three years later, though, Hugo Young does not share Harris’ viewpoint of Thatcher and her role in changing society. While he concedes
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