When Thatcher dies
By James Bloodworth at Obliged to Offend:
Instead of celebrating when Thatcher dies, the left should reflect on what a pig’s ear it’s made of the past 30 years
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Ever since Margaret Thatcher stopped appearing in public due to poor health, the fit and proper reaction to her eventual exit from the earthly realm has been discussed with increasing regularity by the left.
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That rolling news will gloss over her legacy with the empty platitudes of the obsequious is entirely predictable. Nor will it surprise many to see the leading lights of the Labour Party queuing up to shower the former Prime Minister with praise.
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There are, however, plenty of us who haven’t forgotten the lives she destroyed, the dictators she championed or the unmitigated social disaster set in motion by her particular brand of finance capitalism. We do not feel the need to do what many formerly of the left now do, and parrot the dictum that we are ‘all Thatcherites now’ (just a hint, but when a person says neo-liberal capitalism is ‘inevitable’ what they really mean is that it is desirable). Many of us are not, and never will be Thatcherites, and we will continue to feel no shame in believing that there is more to life than the winner-takes-all capitalism she so unapologetically championed during her lifetime.
There are, however, plenty of us who haven’t forgotten the lives she destroyed, the dictators she championed or the unmitigated social disaster set in motion by her particular brand of finance capitalism. We do not feel the need to do what many formerly of the left now do, and parrot the dictum that we are ‘all Thatcherites now’ (just a hint, but when a person says neo-liberal capitalism is ‘inevitable’ what they really mean is that it is desirable). Many of us are not, and never will be Thatcherites, and we will continue to feel no shame in believing that there is more to life than the winner-takes-all capitalism she so unapologetically championed during her lifetime.
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There are of course also those, on the other side of the fence, who view Thatcher’s eventual demise as an opportunity to get one over on her family, her friends, and her supporters in a way that was not possible in an era when her ideas triumphed so emphatically. In this regard, Margaret Thatcher’s death is not only to be greeted with sullen contempt, but is to be actively celebrated.
There are of course also those, on the other side of the fence, who view Thatcher’s eventual demise as an opportunity to get one over on her family, her friends, and her supporters in a way that was not possible in an era when her ideas triumphed so emphatically. In this regard, Margaret Thatcher’s death is not only to be greeted with sullen contempt, but is to be actively celebrated.
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The idea of getting back at this almost mythical figure for the numerous defeats she inflicted on the left is strong motivation for those planning to crack open the Champers on learning of her passing. Considering that during her reign she trounced us at every opportunity, revelled in her victories, and then did it again, the desire to see the back of the woman is perhaps understandable, even if the outright celebration of her passing is, to my mind at least, taking things a bit far.
The idea of getting back at this almost mythical figure for the numerous defeats she inflicted on the left is strong motivation for those planning to crack open the Champers on learning of her passing. Considering that during her reign she trounced us at every opportunity, revelled in her victories, and then did it again, the desire to see the back of the woman is perhaps understandable, even if the outright celebration of her passing is, to my mind at least, taking things a bit far.
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What we on the left would do well to remember, however, is that the ideas embodied by Mrs Thatcher are not going to be dented, let alone killed-off by the departure of their most famous living embodiment. ‘All the forces in the world are not so powerful as an idea whose time has come,’ Victor Hugo once said, and if the left is to recover from the tremendous setbacks it has suffered during the past 30 years, it is the ideas embodied by Mrs Thatcher that must be replaced, not the worn-out figure of an elderly lady.
What we on the left would do well to remember, however, is that the ideas embodied by Mrs Thatcher are not going to be dented, let alone killed-off by the departure of their most famous living embodiment. ‘All the forces in the world are not so powerful as an idea whose time has come,’ Victor Hugo once said, and if the left is to recover from the tremendous setbacks it has suffered during the past 30 years, it is the ideas embodied by Mrs Thatcher that must be replaced, not the worn-out figure of an elderly lady.
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Rather than celebrating the death of a human being, even a not particularly endearing one, the left should instead examine with clear-sightedness where it has gone wrong, how it has behaved and how it can do better – and boy, can it do better. Considering the complete failure to make any political inroads since the 2008 banking crash, this should be clearer today than ever.
Rather than celebrating the death of a human being, even a not particularly endearing one, the left should instead examine with clear-sightedness where it has gone wrong, how it has behaved and how it can do better – and boy, can it do better. Considering the complete failure to make any political inroads since the 2008 banking crash, this should be clearer today than ever.
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Time and energy spent celebrating the deaths of those who popularise ideas we dislike is time that would be better spent popularising our own ideas. With this in mind, morbid celebrations are better left to the psychologically unhinged. The media already does an effective job in portraying us as morally detached from the values of the average person; they certainly don’t need us serving up ammunition on a plate for them.
Time and energy spent celebrating the deaths of those who popularise ideas we dislike is time that would be better spent popularising our own ideas. With this in mind, morbid celebrations are better left to the psychologically unhinged. The media already does an effective job in portraying us as morally detached from the values of the average person; they certainly don’t need us serving up ammunition on a plate for them.
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John D Clare said,
January 18, 2012 at 1:36 am
Quite a fair line taken here; thank you. What Thatcher did and what she stood for were evil. But to celebrate the death of any human being is bestial and demeaning.
Monsuer Jelly est Formidable said,
January 18, 2012 at 2:06 am
Doesn’t think this is very good.
representingthemambo said,
January 18, 2012 at 8:46 am
No it doesn’t. It’s pretty good actually.
Celebrating the death of a frail old lady as if it’s some kind of victory would be a graphic illustration of the left’s impotence. And we should have better values than that.
Faster Pussycat Miaow Miaow Miaow! said,
January 18, 2012 at 9:56 am
You are not ‘the left’, merely a self-important liberal with a wordpress account.
Matt said,
January 18, 2012 at 9:52 am
There is no reason why the left cannot debate its future and celebrate the death of Thatcher.
I remember a miner from Nottinghamshire saying once how on the day of Churchill’s funeral they had a street party to celebrate the passing of the man who had sent troops against striking miners.
I’ve still got my bottle of champagne on ice…
Faster Pussycat Miaow Miaow Miaow! said,
January 18, 2012 at 9:57 am
That was obviously before the Nottingham miners were scabs…
Matt said,
January 18, 2012 at 6:19 pm
Not all Notts miners were scabs. The miner who told that story was a NUM branch secretary throughout the 84-85 strike who persuaded other Notts miners to stay out.
Jim Denham said,
January 18, 2012 at 10:16 am
“There have been glowing reviews over the festive period of the performance by a respected Hollywood star in the latest ‘interpretation’ of a bitter old harpy hell-bent on destroying the happiness of others and who finally goes completely insane.
“And then there was Gillian Anderson’s accalimed performance as Miss Havisham…”
-Paddy McGuffin, Morning Star.
Roger said,
January 18, 2012 at 12:05 pm
She is already in the living hell that relatives of dementia patients know all too well – so her death will probably be a blessed relief for her and those closest to her.
And there is no dignity in exulting in the death of a mere pathetic shell of a human being.
We had our moment when she was betrayed and thrown out of number 10 by her own friends and allies.
And look at how that turned out it for us – it gave the Tories just enough time to install someone who actually did vastly more harm to the country than Thatcher (rail privatisation, destruction of the mines, PFI and foundation trusts) but who was capable of executing the couple of U-turns that won the 1992 election.
HONDATED said,
January 18, 2012 at 5:09 pm
Spot on as far as I am concerned.Yes we should fight against all that she stood for but I really get no pleasure from seeing her or anyone I particularly dislike ending up with dementia.
But then I also do not like those on the left that grass others up like Brand did when you grassed C. Thatcher up for he unsavoury comments made in private in BBC Green Room.
SteveH said,
January 18, 2012 at 7:35 pm
I will not celebrate the death of the hideous witch who wrought devastation on the Sheffield mining community I come from. The post Thatcher landscape was truely horrific. I just don’t see the satisfaction in the suffering of others. My offer to Gadaffi would have been a luxury villa for him and his family and a life of peace – take it or leave it. I am just that kind of guy!
However i dont begrudge those im my community who will dance the night away.
Boleyn Ali said,
January 18, 2012 at 11:22 pm
Is not, “Memory of the Class” the issue here rather than vapid, and empty, presentational concerns?
Monsuer Jelly est Formidable said,
January 25, 2012 at 12:50 pm
piktuar of that jAmES BlooDWERTH scab cock
https://si0.twimg.com/profile_images/1260488585/Mypicturemanifesto.jpg
everything i imagined it to be – even down to the ear stud thing. bell end.
plagairsTT BloDWerTH
see comment here
http://www.socialistunity.com/when-democracy-goes-too-far/#comment-281420
jeesass
http://blogs.independent.co.uk/author/james-bloodworth/
you’d think they had learned their lesson after J hari debacle
Is BLOODWErth also a member ov an A Ha tribute band? Or maybe a Bross come back.. Kevin the drummer who nobody fancies?