phisheep
NeoGAF's Chief Barrister
I've gathered as many quotes as I can. Might have missed some. Have edited most to make this shorter.
Mostly at the time we had no way of knowing what their people wanted, there not being elections (or at least sensible elections) and suchlike. That tended to make international relations very much a matter of support whoever is in power now because that's all you've got. Anything else and you're immediately faced with charges of colonialism. It wasn't easy.
Don't know if you remember what it was like in the '70s. Getting a loan for anything was impossible without a somewhat formal interview with a scary bank manager, who typically wouldn't lend you anything unless you had enough income/proof of credit record etc. Dammit, it was even hard to open a bank account even if you had an income. Deregulation was needed, the competition we have now is a huge improvement (though sure it has its downsides), but there's a big old difference between deregulation up to 1997, and almost total lack of regulation post 1997. Usually I'm reluctant to pin changes on a change of government (everything is way more complicated than that) but this one was the flagship day 1 New Labour thing and it went horribly wrong.
Not that old. I think it was Harold Wilson. But then, in his time, a week was a long time in politics (and I think the average time between governments was only a year or two).
Ah, thanks. Must go check up on that - would explain a lot if true. I'll have to dig around a bit and will get back.
Yeah, but that isn't the same as "she supported apartheid" which is what I was questioning. I don't think it is necessarily shameful either, since we only know (if we know, and I don't) that sanctions were decisive in hindsight. I do remember the Basil D'Oliviera episode though.
And Rab Butler.
Or we could have let countries do what their people wanted, and we do what our people want.
But that would be against the economic interests of the elite. Invading grenada and overthrowing Mosaddegh sure saved American lives...
Mostly at the time we had no way of knowing what their people wanted, there not being elections (or at least sensible elections) and suchlike. That tended to make international relations very much a matter of support whoever is in power now because that's all you've got. Anything else and you're immediately faced with charges of colonialism. It wasn't easy.
Thatcher had a program of deregulation of the financial sector which ultimately led to the fucked up situation we find ourselves in now. With an economy based on debt, rather than money. Banks making huge losses but still paying out disgustingly large bonuses and salaries to executives who do fuck all to benefit society, all they do is load society with debt.
And we allow this debt to ruin people's lives. We allow the suffering of the poorest in society all because of this fiction. These ultimately valueless, meaningless numbers, which we are taught to give up almost our entire lives to acquire. How is it a sustainable situation when the ones who have all the money are giving it away to those who have no money, and then demanding it be paid back, plus extra?
The whole thing is completely fucked up, and hopefully it'll soon come crashing down.
Don't know if you remember what it was like in the '70s. Getting a loan for anything was impossible without a somewhat formal interview with a scary bank manager, who typically wouldn't lend you anything unless you had enough income/proof of credit record etc. Dammit, it was even hard to open a bank account even if you had an income. Deregulation was needed, the competition we have now is a huge improvement (though sure it has its downsides), but there's a big old difference between deregulation up to 1997, and almost total lack of regulation post 1997. Usually I'm reluctant to pin changes on a change of government (everything is way more complicated than that) but this one was the flagship day 1 New Labour thing and it went horribly wrong.
What's the old saying?
"A week is a long time in politics"?
Not that old. I think it was Harold Wilson. But then, in his time, a week was a long time in politics (and I think the average time between governments was only a year or two).
Thatcher government forbade councils reinvesting receipts from RTB sales into new housing stock, as far as I remember.
Ah, thanks. Must go check up on that - would explain a lot if true. I'll have to dig around a bit and will get back.
There's plenty of evidence that -
a. she opposed sanctions on South Africa
b. the sanction contributed greatly to the fall of Apartheid.
This is like saying that the US does not support Israel because they said they're against the settlements.
This is a shameful episode in the history of England and the biography of Thatcher. I don't think that even fans of her should excuse her on that point.
Yeah, but that isn't the same as "she supported apartheid" which is what I was questioning. I don't think it is necessarily shameful either, since we only know (if we know, and I don't) that sanctions were decisive in hindsight. I do remember the Basil D'Oliviera episode though.
second best prime minister we never had (after john smith)
And Rab Butler.