Baroness Thatcher passed away

bigheadxx

Tancred wrote: »

She was voted in mainly because Labour was so incompetent and extreme at the time, and the SDP-Liberal alliance was a bit of a joke - the 'two Davids' were a bit like the two Ronnies.

She did represent a disturbing new change in British society - the development of greed, selfishness and ruthless individualism. The old feeling of social solidarity, present ever since 1945, simply dissipated into nothingness. The age of 'us and them' had begun.

It's a shame that Heath lost in 1974 because he was a far more clear sighted politician than Thatcher.

Greed and selfishness had been entrenched by the trade unions by 1979, it was social solidarity it was "closed shop" mentality, you couldn't get on if you weren't in the union. Them and us, which the unions wired its members into, destroyed the competitiveness of UK industry long before Mrs T came along.

The often misquoted " no such thing as society" line is exactly right. You ARE an individual with a family and it is YOUR responsibility to look after them. The state is a safety net and you are obliged to contribute to it in order that you may be entitled to its support one day.

"I think we've been through a period where too many people have been given to understand that if they have a problem, it's the government's job to cope with it. 'I have a problem, I'll get a grant.' 'I'm homeless, the government must house me.' They're casting their problem on society. And, you know, there is no such thing as society. There are individual men and women, and there are families. And no government can do anything except through people, and people must look to themselves first. It's our duty to look after ourselves and then, also to look after our neighbour. People have got the entitlements too much in mind, without the obligations. There's no such thing as entitlement, unless someone has first met an obligation."

piglet74

David Cameron has just sent his offical letter to the Thatcher residence. It starts

"I regret to inform you that due to recent events you now have too many bedrooms..."

vivatifosi

In some ways, I'm glad she has died. Alzheimers is a horrible, evil disease that robs people of their dignity. Nobody deserves that and nor does their family.

piglet74

It may well be... But so is starving to death!!!

Fella

piglet74 wrote: »

It may well be... But so is starving to death!!!

Going by your signature, that's not something you're in any imminent danger of.

Tancred

bigheadxx wrote: »

Greed and selfishness had been entrenched by the trade unions by 1979, it was social solidarity it was "closed shop" mentality, you couldn't get on if you weren't in the union. Them and us, which the unions wired its members into, destroyed the competitiveness of UK industry long before Mrs T came along.

The often misquoted " no such thing as society" line is exactly right. You ARE an individual with a family and it is YOUR responsibility to look after them. The state is a safety net and you are obliged to contribute to it in order that you may be entitled to its support one day.

"I think we've been through a period where too many people have been given to understand that if they have a problem, it's the government's job to cope with it. 'I have a problem, I'll get a grant.' 'I'm homeless, the government must house me.' They're casting their problem on society. And, you know, there is no such thing as society. There are individual men and women, and there are families. And no government can do anything except through people, and people must look to themselves first. It's our duty to look after ourselves and then, also to look after our neighbour. People have got the entitlements too much in mind, without the obligations. There's no such thing as entitlement, unless someone has first met an obligation."

The unions did go too far, but then again a lot of people back then were getting derisory wages while the big bosses grew fat on massive bonuses etc. Are you saying that it's OK to be greedy if you are lucky enough to be a company boss but not if you are a worker? As for lack of competitiveness, this was largely due to sterling being too strong a currency.

I agree with some of what you say about the need to take responsibility, but Thatcher and her successors created a climate of fear and guilt. An unemployed person is now made to feel like a criminal, even if he is jobless through no fault of his own. This is what I can't accept. And I also can't accept that there is no such thing as society - society is people, and people exist. We interact with each other - family, friends, colleagues, etc. This is society.

chucknorris

Late_To_Bed wrote: »

When Tony Benn dies I will be very sad.

But it won't bother me at all what the right wingers will say in celebration, I'll ignore them.

Not really sure why all the Maggie acolytes are getting so worked up. If you don't like what someone says, just ignore them.

I don't agree with much that Tony Benn stands for, but I respect him and I think that is the difference between me and some of others on this thread. I might say something nice or neutral about him when he dies, but why on earth would I lower myself into the gutter to slag him off or say that I am happy that he died just because I disagree with his political views?

worried_jim

Since arriving in hell, Margaret Thatcher has already closed down two furnaces and privatised fire.

macaque_2

Perhaps not everything she did turned out to be right but she was a true leader; something we have missed ever since.

Blessings and peace be upon her.

olly300

ukcarper wrote: »

Not to keen on Maggie myself but I suspect that she would not be to concerned that a load of left wingers were celebrating her death if fact i wouldn't be surprised if it amused her.

Do you know what's good about her?

People actually have strong feelings about her and her policies.

How many politicians of today if they died 20+ years later are people going to have such strong feelings about?

Tony Blair? - Some people will have some feelings of annoyance.

Gordon Brown? David Cameron? - Definitely no.