Events Surrounding The Resignation Of Margaret Thatcher Sociology Essay

Events Surrounding The Resignation Of Margaret Thatcher Sociology EssayMargaret Thatchers legacy towers oer modern day British Politics and History. She earned her stake in the history books as the longest serving PM of the twentieth century with three back to back election wins under her belt and since, emerging politicians know been said to cave in been creations of the Thatcher era with both William Hague and Tony Blaire be hailight-emitting diode as sons of Thatcherism by journalist Andrew Rawnsley.1.1.2 AimsThis storey investigates and concludes as to how the compact Ladies fortitude and downfall was ideaed in the UK and Welsh newspapers, and pays particular attention and heighten as to how this shaped the nations views at the clip and now, looking back retrospectively.This report researches as to why Margaret Thatcher was a Marmite politician who evoked such(prenominal) toil almost responses, in both past and present through pop out society and to a fault looks in to how the events of the past and media reaction has shaped her legacy left in Britain today.1.1.3 ruleThrough both veritable and secondary research, this report acts as a historical study into the events surrounding the fortitude of Margaret Thatcher and the public response to it by examining how her quitation was reported in the Newspapers and other media resources at the time.1.1.4 Results ConclusionsConclusions hold excessively been obtained through oral interviews with people who were alive at the time and comm set aside the events to obtain first hand public assent and to analyse the pertain of the transition from Thatcher to the Blaire era on people at the time. In rise to designer to this I collected and collated public opinion about the popularity of Margaret Thatcher throughout her time as Prime rector resulting in a conclusion as to what her legacy is in Britain today.2. Introduction2.1.1 Background and Context for the Study legion(predicate) people remember where they were and what they were doing when they comprehend that Margaret Thatcher had stepped down as Prime Minister and what their reaction and feeling toward the news was. Margaret Thatcher always sparks a diverse, sometimes polemic opinion whether it is an expression of fondness or one of extreme nuisance which is why her legacy is highly disputed.Media interest on the 10th anniversary of her demise from power was high, so much so that many newspapers ran opinion polls and features allowing people to comment about their reaction to her fall from power and resignation, and such polls were concrete evidence as to Mrs Thatchers ability to track to evoke unshakable opinions even a decade after she had ceased to be Prime Minister. These polls are examined later on in the report and help to draw a conclusion of the legacy that she has left on Britain today.This report analyses the Origins of Thatchers departure from number 10 and gauges public opinion on what has now be conf orm to widely known as the Thatcher era and as a result of it Thatcherism.2.2.1 Outline of aims and methodologyThis study explores and talk over the backgrounds that guide to the seismic political moment when Margaret Thatchers resigned as Prime Minister on 22nd November, 1990. This historical report looks into both the medias and public opinion, which has been examined through interviews and media muniment footage, both at the time and reflective articles and discussions that have been recorded to date.2.3.1 primary feather research undertakenI have conducted the research through both primary and secondary resources including interviews with people who were alive and remember the resignation first hand, newspaper articles, podcasts, opinion polls and internet sites.Through formulating central questions relating to key outstripics I have conducted oral interviews with people who were both alive and have strong memories and opinions regarding Thatchers demise. I conducted the in terviews this way and asked specific questions to enable me to systematically collate opinions of reinforcement peoples testimony about their own experiences.3.1.1 Literature ReviewWhen studying the events of November 1990, it is cleared that there is no one origin to the fall of Thatcher from power. In Kevin Jeffries book, Finest and darkest Hours, he says thatFor the Historian, the events of November 1990 present something of a mystery. A PM with a strong parliamentary majority and in good health, enjoying the considerable advantages of patronage and access to the media, was well impregnable. (Jeffries, Atlantic Books, 2002)To her supporters, she was a ground-breaking Prime Minister who positively re-shaped Britains economy and tamed the trade unions. In alliance with US presidents Reagan and Bush, she helped bring about the end of the Cold War. But her 11-year stint in office was also a time tainted by social tempestuousness, industrial trouble and insurrection unemployment and her critics claim British society is still feeling the effect of her factious economic policies and the culture of greed and selfishness they allegedly promoted.Existing accounts have mention that there was no single, overriding cause of Thatchers downfall and that various factors contend their part in Novembers events.3.1.1 Key ThemesSeeing as there is no one clear reason to her downfall and resignation, there are several(prenominal) key themes and topics which must be addressed when discussing Margaret Thatcher. I have investigated these indoors both historical and narrative fictional texts in which I have then cross referenced with my own research to enable me to come up with a balanced and well supported conclusion.Below, I have highlighted key themes that are explored in recognized academic discussion of the resignation of Margaret Thatcher by leading authors and commentators of the field.3.1.2 Divisions over atomic number 63Iconic of the Thatcher years, was the ever trail saga as to whether Britain should join the Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM).Mrs Thatcher relentlessly jilted any steps toward stronger political links which she believed would lead to an identikit European personality, and discover nationality and tradition of member states.***Therefore it is fair to say that Europe, ultimately, played a part in ending the Thatcher premiership.3.1.3 Poll TaxMargaret Thatcher had always been a long standing critic of the British Taxation system which is proven in her memoirs, where shy says that she always disliked rates intensely (Jefferys, Atlantic Books, 2002).The conservative regimen, under Thatcher then bought in the community charge to replace the long standing tax system that dated back nearly coulomb years -Rates which resulted in every adult paying a flat rate charge.The introduction of the Community Charge was met with great unrest and discontent for Thatcherism and opposition groups formed.One Journalist, quoted in the Economist d ubbed the system as a A fatheaded, boneheaded, dunderheaded, blunderheaded, muttonheaded, knuckleheaded, chuckleheaded, puddingheaded, jobernowled wash- out of a cock-up. (The Economist, 3 Dec 1994) which could be seen as a representation of the peoples views at the time of its introduction delinquent to the March and Riot of 1990 in opposition to the new system.The riot was a fatal blow for not only the poll tax still also the Margaret Thatcher and before the new year, Thatcher had stepped down as Britains Prime Minister.3.1.4 Thatcherite economicsThatchers market-led policies saw the sale of 20 state-owned companies including British Telecom. She did haul the country out of the economic doldrums where the UK was known as the sick man of Europe but at what cost? Her deregulation of the banking industry ultimately led to this current recession via the opinion crunchMonetarism came to be used to attract what people thought of as Thatcherism. In simple terms, it is the recognitio n of the splendour of money and money supply in an economy.The belief in escaped markets and individual wealth creation undermined the fabric of society encouraging selfishness and an change magnitude in inequality. Thatcherite beliefs include a support for a form of slobber down economics the idea if the rich get richer everyone benefits.3.1.5 Trade UnionsStrikes were a regular occurrence and crippled the country. The three-day week was introduced under Edward Heath. And Callaghans Labour government in 1978 oversaw the strikes of the Winter of Discontent. On election, Thatcher used the situation as an absolve to crush the unions. She simply refused to listen to the workers representatives. Her economic policies helped weaken the unions.MethodologyThe reason in which I conducted research throughThe methodology section should generate a rationale for the method of research employed and for choice of sources used, together with an explanation of any tools (e.g. questionnaires S PSS) involved and the respective criteria of evaluation applied to these. Samples of such tools (in blank form or with consolidated data) will probably want to be included in an appendix. It is not necessary to include a narrative description of the research process, although case studies (e.g. observation sessions) need to be well documented.ResultsAs predicted, my results show the expected diversity of opinion.The results and conclusions sections should describe, explain and discuss what the research undertaken has revealed and why it is significant. This is best achieved by comparison with the ideas of opinion leading previously presented. These ideas will be variously supported, illustrated, qualified and challenged by what you have discovered.Discussion/ConclusionsWith public opinion turning decisively against her, she was forced to resign from office in November 1990 after a struggle for leadership at heart the Conservative PartyMany United Kingdom citizens remember where t hey were and what they were doing when they heard that Margaret Thatcher had resigned and what their reaction was. She brings out strong responses in people. Some people credit her with rescuing the British economy from the stagnation of the 1970s and admire her committed radicalism on social issues others see her as authoritarian, egotistical and responsible for the dismantling of the well-being State. Britain was widely seen as the sick man of Europe in the 1970s, and some argued that it would be the first developed nation to return to the status of a developing country. In the 1990s, Britain emerged with a comparatively healthy economy, at to the lowest degree by previous standards.A clear illustration of the divisions of opinion over Thatchers leadership can be found in recent boob tube polls Thatcher appears at Number 16 in the 2002 List of 100 Greatest Britons (sponsored by the BBC and voted for by the public), she also appears at Number 3 in the 2003 List of 100 Worst Brit ons (sponsored by Channel quad and also voted for by the public), narrowly missing out on the top spot, which went to Tony Blair.RecommendationsIt might be appropriate to end with recommendations, suggesting how the present study could be extended or repeated in a different format, or how related fields might be explored from a similar standpoint. This section, though, cannot be used to excuse failings in the study which should have been avoided.Transcripts or summaries of interviews, copies of original documents, tables of statistics, maps, etc. should be included in separate appendices at the end. The subscriber can be referred to these in the text, which may also include extracts from the alike(p) (e.g. an exchange from an interview)Bibliography ReferencesEvans, EJ (2004). Thatcher and Thatcherism (Making of the Contemporary World) . London RoutledgeHolmes, M (1989). Thatcherism Scope and Limits Palgrave Macmillan. 1-182Jefferys, K (2002). Finest and Darkest Hours The peremp tory Events in British Politics, from Churchill to Blair. London Atlantic Books. p233-258Marwick, A (2003). British rescript Since 1945 The Penguin Social History of Britain PenguinMorgan, K (2002). Britain since 1945 The Peoples Peace. UK Oxford University Press.BBC.. 1990 Thatcher quits as prime minister. accessible http//news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/22/newsid_2549000/2549189.stm. Last accessed 21 April 2010.BBC. 1990 Tearful farewell from Iron Lady. addressable http//news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/28/newsid_2527000/2527953.stm. Last accessed 21 April 2010.Essential Margaret Thatcher. open http//www.margaretthatcher.org/essential/default.asp. Last accessed 16 April 2010BBC News. (1990). BBC News Thatcher resigns as Prime Minister. Available http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTDS23DY670. Last accessed 18 March 2010.