--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Thatcher had broken the miners' union…" description: "\"Thatcher had broken the miners' union, all but crushed the Labour Party, dramatically cut back the welfare state, even flirted with a poll tax. In the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca1/jon-weisman-31172_broken_thatcher-had-broken-the-miners-union-all_2291166.jpg" --- # Thatcher had broken the miners' union, all but crushed the… ![“Thatcher had broken the miners' union, all but crushed the Labour Party, dramatically cut back the welfare state, even flirted with a poll tax. In the circles I ran in, Reagan was mocked as a childish dolt. Thatcher was despised.” quote by Jon Weisman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca1/jon-weisman-31172_broken_thatcher-had-broken-the-miners-union-all_2291166.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca1/jon-weisman-31172_broken_thatcher-had-broken-the-miners-union-all_2291166.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca1/jon-weisman-31172_broken_thatcher-had-broken-the-miners-union-all_2291166.jpg) > “Thatcher had broken the miners' union, all but crushed the Labour Party, dramatically cut back the welfare state, even flirted with a poll tax. In the circles I ran in, Reagan was mocked as a childish dolt. Thatcher was despised.” [Jon Weisman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-weisman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Thatcher's policies weakened unions, reduced welfare, and faced public backlash, while Reagan was similarly mocked. **In simple terms:** Thatcher's actions harmed unions and welfare, Reagan mocked. Key Takeaway Recognize political impacts on social structures. Themes politics policy leadership socialchange Mood critical reflective Type analytical historical When to use this quote - historical analysis - political science - media commentary Key Concepts conservatism neoliberalism union dynamics welfare state public opinion Questions to Reflect On - How do policy changes affect different social groups? - What balance should be struck between reform and tradition? A Different Perspective Critics argue economic reforms can also create growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Circles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circles/) [Labour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labour/) [Labour party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labour-party/) [Miners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miners/) [Party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party/) [Polls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polls/) [Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxes/) [Unions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unions/) [Welfare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/welfare/) [Welfare state](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/welfare-state/) ## Related quotes > [Liberals in the US don't have great passions about Margaret Thatcher. Conservatives do. For all the worship that Ronald Reagan elicits in conservative circles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-weisman/liberals-in-the-us-don-t-have-great-passions-about-margaret-thatcher/) [Jon Weisman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-weisman/) > [ We have a number of very powerful women in the world now - Mrs. \[Angela\] Merkel, who the Germans call Mutti. What did we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/we-have-a-number-of-very-powerful-women-in-the-world-now-mrs-angela/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [For all the worship that Ronald Reagan elicits in conservative circles in the United States, I would venture that Thatcher did far more to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-weisman/for-all-the-worship-that-ronald-reagan-elicits-in-conservative/) [Jon Weisman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-weisman/) > [If politicians want to save money, that's fine. They can look for all the wasteful spending they want, but not where the lives of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer-hickam/if-politicians-want-to-save-money-that-s-fine-they-can-look-for-all/) [Homer Hickam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer-hickam/) > [Instead of attacking and dividing our people, I'll focus on better paying jobs, career and skills training, and apprenticeships. And I'll always protect our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-beshear/instead-of-attacking-and-dividing-our-people-i-ll-focus-on-better/) [Andy Beshear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-beshear/) > [The national strike of the miners in 1972 performed, I believe, a great service, not only to the miners, but the people in Britain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-foot/the-national-strike-of-the-miners-in-1972-performed-i-believe-a-great/) [Michael Foot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-foot/) > [Arthur Scargill’s leadership of the miners’ strike has been a disgrace. The price to be paid for his folly will be immense. He will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-reid/arthur-scargill-s-leadership-of-the-miners-strike-has-been-a-disgrace/) [Jimmy Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-reid/) > [All too often miners, and indeed other trade unionists, underestimate the economic strength they have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-scargill/all-too-often-miners-and-indeed-other-trade-unionists-underestimate/) [Arthur Scargill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-scargill/) > [Writing is to descend like a miner to the depths of the mine with a lamp on your forehead, a light whose dubious brightness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-cendrars/writing-is-to-descend-like-a-miner-to-the-depths-of-the-mine-with-a/) [Blaise Cendrars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-cendrars/) > [“Go home now,” says I. “Keep away from the saloons. Save your money. 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It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rogers/the-city-of-london-and-wall-street-are-not-going-to-be-great-places/) [Jim Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rogers/) > [“A woman is like a universe; there are many things that even she still needs to discover about herself. Men on the other hand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebo-grand/a-woman-is-like-a-universe-there-are-many-things-that-even-she-still/) [Lebo Grand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebo-grand/) > [“I am a citizen of this country,” I declare, “and Mr. Mayor, tonight I will be a citizen of this city when I put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-ash/i-am-a-citizen-of-this-country-i-declare-and-mr-mayor-tonight-i-will/) [Jerry Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-ash/) ## More by Jon Weisman > [There is, in my mind, no higher compliment to pay a non-fiction book than to say it reads like a novel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-weisman/there-is-in-my-mind-no-higher-compliment-to-pay-a-non-fiction-book/) [Jon Weisman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-weisman/) > [I was very disciplined when home - lights out for the girls at 9:00, two hours of writing for me. 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As a novelist, you are ultimately working for yourself. Yes, you need the approval of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-weisman/the-professions-of-novelist-and-journalist-are-very-separate-as-a/) [Jon Weisman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-weisman/) > [History - the non-fiction version - must inform the fiction to make it truthful; too much of it and your genres are colliding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-weisman/history-the-non-fiction-version-must-inform-the-fiction-to-make-it/) [Jon Weisman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-weisman/) > [I have prided myself with striving for objectivity, something many literary-minded critics dismiss as impossible. But in Washington, reporters are practically the only people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-weisman/i-have-prided-myself-with-striving-for-objectivity-something-many/) [Jon Weisman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-weisman/) > [Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction, but usually fiction is just better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-weisman/sometimes-truth-is-stranger-than-fiction-but-usually-fiction-is-just/) [Jon Weisman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-weisman/) > [For all the worship that Ronald Reagan elicits in conservative circles in the United States, I would venture that Thatcher did far more to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-weisman/for-all-the-worship-that-ronald-reagan-elicits-in-conservative/) [Jon Weisman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-weisman/) > [I was very conscious of race as I was writing. 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I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Marriage is a desperate thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/marriage-is-a-desperate-thing/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [The child who ran weeping to you with a cut finger is now brought home, smiling gamely, with a broken collarbone and incredible contusions-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-brown/the-child-who-ran-weeping-to-you-with-a-cut-finger-is-now-brought/) [Pam Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-brown/) > [There is no pain like the first time you get your heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/there-is-no-pain-like-the-first-time-you-get-your-heart-broken/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [Broken china lasts longer than unbroken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-renard/broken-china-lasts-longer-than-unbroken/) [Jules Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-renard/) > [My life was incoherent to me. I felt it quivering, spitting out broken teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-fox/my-life-was-incoherent-to-me-i-felt-it-quivering-spitting-out-broken/) [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) > [Don't fix what's not broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-atkins/don-t-fix-what-s-not-broken/) [Robert Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-atkins/) > [“ving self and others is an every second of every day of every week, of every month, of every year gift that should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/ving-self-and-others-is-an-every-second-of-every-day-of-every-week-of/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [Your head's like mine, like all our heads; big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. 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