Ledger Neoliberal Thought and Thatcherism

‘A Transition From Here to There?’
Erscheinungsjahr 2017
ISBN: 978-1-351-98765-3
Verlag: Taylor & Francis
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 182 Seiten

Reihe: Routledge Studies in Modern British History

The premiership of Margaret Thatcher has been portrayed as uniquely ideological in its pursuit of a more market-based economy. A body of literature has been built on how a sharp turn to the right by the Conservative Party during the 1980s - inspired by the likes of Milton Friedman and Friedrich Hayek - acted as one of the key stepping stones to the turbo-charged capitalism and globalization of our modern world. But how ‘neoliberal’ was Thatcherism? The link between ideas and the Thatcher government has frequently been over-generalized and under-specified. Existing accounts tend to characterize neoliberalism as a homogeneous, and often ill-defined, group of thinkers that exerted a broad influence over the Thatcher government. In particular, this study explores how Margaret Thatcher approached special interest groups, a core neoliberal concern. The results demonstrate a willingness to utilize the state, often in contradictory ways, to pursue apparently more market orientated policies. This book - through a combination of archival research, interviews and examination of neoliberal thought itself - defines the dominant strains of neoliberalism more clearly and explores their relationship with Thatcherism.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Ledger, Robert

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Weltgeschichte & Geschichte einzelner Länder und Gebietsräume Europäische Geschichte
• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Volkswirtschaftslehre Volkswirtschaftslehre Allgemein Wirtschaftstheorie, Wirtschaftsphilosophie
• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Wirtschaftswissenschaften Wirtschaftsgeschichte

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Introduction

- Neoliberal thought

- Neoliberal ideas in Britain after 1945

- Economic Policy and the Thatcher government

- Liberalization? Exchange controls and Enterprise Zones

- Financial Deregulation

- Trade Union Reform

- Electricity Privatization

- Broadcasting policy

- Social policy: education vouchers and housing

Conclusion

Bibliography

Über Autor(innen)

Robert Ledger has a PhD in political science from Queen Mary University of London. He has worked for a think-tank in Brussels, lectured at various universities in London and currently lives and works in Frankfurt.