The Free Economy and the Strong State: The Politics of Thatcherism

by G. Kelly

The Thatcher era was a turbulent and controversial period in British politics. Andrew Gamble's authoritative account - now revised and updated to cover Thatcher's fall and legacy - analyses the ideology, statecraft, and economic and social programme of the Thatcher Government. He explores rival interpretations of Thatcherism and assesses the evidence for claims that the Thatcher Government transformed British politics. A new conclusion considers the Conservative Party after Thatcher.

New to this
- Both Thatcher's fall and legacy covered in this text
- New conclusion appraising the Conservative party in the wake of Thatcher

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, History

282 pages, Paperback

First published September 9, 1988

Reviews

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gamble describes Thatcherism as a hegemonic project involving ideology, economics, and politics, and emphasizing a free economy and a strong state. However, Thatcherism should not be viewed as a resurgence of traditional conservativism. Thatcher's program required a reorganization of state and civil society, but she failed to create sufficient state machinery to realize her vision of a free economy. Her efforts benefited the financial sector, but not manufacturing, and thus in the long term contributed to Britain's economic decline. Gamble's arguments are clearly laid out and provide a good contextualization of the global economic and political crises of the 1970s.

[Gerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andrew Gamble has written an important book. Firstly he comes from a different and more critical perspective as he showed in his critique of Hayek`s work.

Secondly the timing of its publication brought a reasoned eye to the debate on the changes to the British economy from the late 1970s onwards.

Given the present British governments propensity to presentation rather than practice the debates should be considered again

[Stephen Hoffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful book for when I had a university module on Conservative Party politics in 2009.