Ed Miliband made a revealing statement in his effusive tribute to Margaret Thatcher. He says when he thinks about it the policies of Margaret Thatcher shaped Cameron, Clegg and himself. It’s certainly true of New Labour which took Thatcherism to new heights in privatisation and allowing market forces to reign supreme. Why in all the tributes this is this seen as “success” for Britain when all is falling about as austerity dominates the proclaimed policies of all political parties is hard to see. The only way it can be proclaimed so is through the perceptions of a ruling and wealthy elite who have used the ideology to feather their own nests. For the 1% it is a triumph maybe but for everyone else it spells disaster.
So while the elite prepare for a now down-graded but still lavish funeral others are partying. For the reasons I am suggesting that while the lady may have gone her policies haven’t I won’t be joining in. The news also showed a hugely divided nation north/south where regions blighted by the end of manufacturing industry have fallen into decline with unemployment, drug and alcohol abuse the Thatcher legacy.
Views from South Africa were mixed but much more forgiving than could be imagined given Thatchers failure condemn apartheid labelling the ANC and Mandela as terrorist. It appears that there too Thatcherism is a far from spent force.
The word “terrorist” was not applied to other such as the former Chilean President Pinochet with his hugely tarnished legacy of crimes against humanity. Thatcher championed him.