l****z
发帖数: 29846 | 1 In that dreary winter of 1979, the piles of uncollected trash in London's
Finsbury Park seemed to stretch for miles. The garbagemen were on strike. So
too, at one time or another, were hospital workers, ambulance drivers,
truck drivers, railwaymen. Also gravediggers: In Liverpool, corpses had to
be warehoused as they awaited burial—yet another long queue that socialist
Britain had arranged for its patient masses.
This was the "Winter of Discontent," when Great Britain came about as close
to economic collapse as at nearly any point in its peacetime history, and it
was the country Margaret Thatcher inherited when, on May 3, she defeated
the Labour government of James Callaghan to become Prime Minister—the first
woman in the office and 49th in a line that includes some of the greatest
figures of Western civilization: Winston Churchill, Benjamin Disraeli, the
Duke of Wellington, William Pitt the Younger.
Thatcher died in London Monday, at age 87, having earned her place among the
greats. This is not simply because she revived Britain's economy, though
that was no mean achievement. Nor is it because she held office longer than
any of her predecessors, though this also testifies to her political skill.
She achieved greatness because she articulated a set of vital ideas about
economic freedom, national self-respect and personal virtue, sold them to a
skeptical public and then demonstrated their efficacy.
Consider economic policy. Britain in 1979 had a double-digit inflation rate,
a top income tax rate of 83% and rising unemployment. Public expenditures
accounted for 42.5% of GDP. There were price, dividend, currency and wage
controls, although the last of these were flouted by trade unions on whose
support the Labour government depended.
The government accounted for about 30% of the work force. The state
controlled most major industries: British Aerospace, BA.LN +0.54% British
Airways, IAG.MC -1.05% British Telecom, BT.A.LN -0.04% British Steel,
British Leyland, the British National Oil Corporation, Associated British
Ports, Cable and Wireless, Rolls Royce. What was left of a private economy
was smothered in red tape.
Most British policy makers of the time had no real grasp of economics: no
idea what caused inflation; no idea how to run state-owned enterprises (much
less that government shouldn't run businesses at all); no idea—beyond
increasing civil-service rolls—how to create jobs. Worse, the cluelessness
was bipartisan. "The Tories loosened the corset of socialism," Thatcher
wrote in her memoirs. "They never removed it."
Thatcher was different, an "instinctive conservative" whose economic
philosophy drew from her father's observations of stocking a grocery. Her
memoir recalls her youthful wonder at "The great complex romance of
international trade which recruited people from all over the world to ensure
that a family in Grantham could have on its table rice from India, coffee
from Kenya, sugar from the West Indies." She had also, with her cabinet
colleague Keith Joseph, spent years transforming those instincts into
practical theories for governance.
And so it went for the next 11 years, as Thatcher and her government stopped
printing excess money to kill inflation, cut marginal tax rates to unleash
private incentives, privatized public housing so the poor could own their
own homes, did away with currency, price and wage controls to eliminate the
distortions they imposed on the economy, curbed runaway spending and sold
off one state asset after another so they might be competently and
profitably managed.
All this was done despite sharp short-term economic shocks and in the teeth
of immense resistance, particularly from trade unions. In 1984, the coal
miners union of Arthur Scargill went on strike for nearly a year. Similar
strikes had brought past governments to their knees, but Thatcher, in a feat
of immense courage and political skill, remained immovable and eventually
won public opinion to her side. As she had famously said of herself a few
years earlier (without being believed), "the lady is not for turning."
But staring down labor unions was the least of it. In March 1979, a faction
of the Irish Republican Army murdered Airey Neave, her campaign manager.
Eleven years later, they murdered Ian Gow, her former private secretary.
There would be IRA outrages at the Harrods department store, in London's
Hyde and Regent's Parks, in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, and, in October
1984, at the Grand Hotel in Brighton, where Thatcher was herself the
principal target. None of this cowed Thatcher, who understood that the main
threat IRA terrorism posed wasn't so much to British sovereignty in Northern
Ireland as it was to the very concept of majority rule.
The same went for the Falklands. Critics of that war paint it as a display
of jingoism, carried out chiefly for Thatcher's political convenience. Yet
the issues at stake were larger than the possession of some rocky and frigid
islands in the South Atlantic. Would Argentina's unprovoked aggression be
resisted or rewarded? Would 1,800 Falklanders—loyal to the Crown, English-
speaking—be consigned without real protest to foreign rule and dictatorship?
There should never have been any serious argument over these questions, but
there was. And looking back, it's remarkable how much Thatcher was willing
to risk in a fight lesser statesmen would as soon have skipped. Britain lost
six ships and suffered hundreds of casualties in the war. But in fighting
Thatcher showed that Britain was prepared to defend its rights, its
interests and its principles—intangible assets of nationhood that had once
made the country great.
These assets served more than Britain. Thatcher understood that Britain's
fight was also the West's, and vice versa. So she agreed, over massive
protests, to the stationing of U.S. nuclear cruise missiles at Greenham
Common as a counterforce to the Soviet SS-20; and she agreed to let the U.S.
launch air strikes from British bases against Libya, in retaliation for
Moammar Gadhafi's terrorist campaigns in Europe. In summer 1990 she steeled
President George H.W. Bush after Saddam Hussein had invaded Kuwait: "This is
no time to go wobbly."
Deeper than this was Thatcher's sympathy with what is best in America:
freedom, enterprise, opportunity, optimism and the urge for self-improvement
. No doubt this reflected Thatcher's background as a grocer's daughter who'd
risen on her own talent and effort.
It did not, however, always reflect British or even Tory opinion, which was
(and remains) prone to seeing the U.S. as a coarse, overbearing ally.
Preserving the "special relationship" is more than the default option of
British leadership: It is a political choice that has to be defended against
alternatives such as "Europe." Thatcher, like Churchill before her and Tony
Blair afterward, always made the choice to remain close to America, one
reason the three are often admired more in the U.S. than at home.
Over Thatcher's long tenure there were bound to be misjudgments. Whatever
the policy merits of her "poll tax," its implementation was badly handled
and ultimately led to her political downfall. A larger blot were the terms
of the handover of Hong Kong to Chinese rule with no guarantee of democratic
self-rule. We remember her vigorous defense of that decision when she
visited our offices in the mid-1980s, which she punctuated by asking: "Do I
make myself clear?" She had, but the colony's six million British subjects
deserved better from such a champion of freedom.
***
Still, the failures dim next to the overall legacy. Thatcher came to power
when Britain and the West were in every kind of crisis: social, economic,
moral and strategic. Along with Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II, she
showed the world the way out. She believed in the inherent right of free men
to craft their own destinies, and in the capacity of free nations to resist
and overcome every kind of tyranny and injustice.
These were the right beliefs then as now. She was the right woman at the
right time. | m********a
发帖数: 1041 | 2 她真的是救了英國啊!
{{And so it went for the next 11 years, as Thatcher and her government
stopped printing excess money to kill inflation, cut marginal tax rates to
unleash private incentives, privatized public housing so the poor could own
their own homes, did away with currency, price and wage controls to
eliminate the distortions they imposed on the economy, curbed runaway
spending and sold off one state asset after another so they might be
competently and profitably managed.}}
太長了看不完， 收收書包回家再努力。 | l****z
发帖数: 29846 | 3 看这个不是和现在的美国有点象嘛? 还有人说减税没用,笑喷了.
Britain in 1979 had a double-digit inflation rate,
a top income tax rate of 83% and rising unemployment. Public expenditures
accounted for 42.5% of GDP. There were price, dividend, currency and wage
controls, although the last of these were flouted by trade unions on whose
support the Labour government depended.
The government accounted for about 30% of the work force. The state
controlled most major industries: British Aerospace, BA.LN +0.54% British
Airways, IAG.MC -1.05% British Telecom, BT.A.LN -0.04% British Steel,
British Leyland, the British National Oil Corporation, Associated British
Ports, Cable and Wireless, Rolls Royce. What was left of a private economy
was smothered in red tape.
own
【在 m********a 的大作中提到】
: 她真的是救了英國啊!
: {{And so it went for the next 11 years, as Thatcher and her government
: stopped printing excess money to kill inflation, cut marginal tax rates to
: unleash private incentives, privatized public housing so the poor could own
: their own homes, did away with currency, price and wage controls to
: eliminate the distortions they imposed on the economy, curbed runaway
: spending and sold off one state asset after another so they might be
: competently and profitably managed.}}
: 太長了看不完， 收收書包回家再努力。
| m********a
发帖数: 1041 | 4 有像
尤其是"What was left of a private economy was smothered in red tape."
【在 l****z 的大作中提到】
: 看这个不是和现在的美国有点象嘛? 还有人说减税没用,笑喷了.
: Britain in 1979 had a double-digit inflation rate,
: a top income tax rate of 83% and rising unemployment. Public expenditures
: accounted for 42.5% of GDP. There were price, dividend, currency and wage
: controls, although the last of these were flouted by trade unions on whose
: support the Labour government depended.
: The government accounted for about 30% of the work force. The state
: controlled most major industries: British Aerospace, BA.LN +0.54% British
: Airways, IAG.MC -1.05% British Telecom, BT.A.LN -0.04% British Steel,
: British Leyland, the British National Oil Corporation, Associated British
| m********a
发帖数: 1041 | 5 這個好棒! 堅持做對的事。
聯想起不久前芝加哥教師工會的罷工。
All this was done despite sharp short-term economic shocks and in the teeth
of immense resistance, particularly from trade unions. In 1984, the coal
miners union of Arthur Scargill went on strike for nearly a year. Similar
strikes had brought past governments to their knees, but Thatcher, in a feat
of immense courage and political skill, remained immovable and eventually
won public opinion to her side. As she had famously said of herself a few
years earlier (without being believed), "the lady is not for turning."
【在 l****z 的大作中提到】
: 看这个不是和现在的美国有点象嘛? 还有人说减税没用,笑喷了.
: Britain in 1979 had a double-digit inflation rate,
: a top income tax rate of 83% and rising unemployment. Public expenditures
: accounted for 42.5% of GDP. There were price, dividend, currency and wage
: controls, although the last of these were flouted by trade unions on whose
: support the Labour government depended.
: The government accounted for about 30% of the work force. The state
: controlled most major industries: British Aerospace, BA.LN +0.54% British
: Airways, IAG.MC -1.05% British Telecom, BT.A.LN -0.04% British Steel,
: British Leyland, the British National Oil Corporation, Associated British
| m********a
发帖数: 1041 | 6 福克蘭群島事件。
儘管因為削減政府開支，國家正在縮衣節食。但遇到這種侵略領土、主權的挑釁，咬著
牙都得打。
我要反思一下我對釣魚台的看法了。
The same went for the Falklands. Critics of that war paint it as a display
of jingoism, carried out chiefly for Thatcher's political convenience. Yet
the issues at stake were larger than the possession of some rocky and frigid
islands in the South Atlantic. Would Argentina's unprovoked aggression be
resisted or rewarded? Would 1,800 Falklanders—loyal to the Crown, English-
speaking—be consigned without real protest to foreign rule and dictatorship?
There should never have been any serious argument over these questions, but
there was. And looking back, it's remarkable how much Thatcher was willing
to risk in a fight lesser statesmen would as soon have skipped. Britain
lost six ships and suffered hundreds of casualties in the war. But in
fighting Thatcher showed that Britain was prepared to defend its rights,
its interests and its principles—intangible assets of nationhood that had
once made the country great.
【在 l****z 的大作中提到】
: 看这个不是和现在的美国有点象嘛? 还有人说减税没用,笑喷了.
: Britain in 1979 had a double-digit inflation rate,
: a top income tax rate of 83% and rising unemployment. Public expenditures
: accounted for 42.5% of GDP. There were price, dividend, currency and wage
: controls, although the last of these were flouted by trade unions on whose
: support the Labour government depended.
: The government accounted for about 30% of the work force. The state
: controlled most major industries: British Aerospace, BA.LN +0.54% British
: Airways, IAG.MC -1.05% British Telecom, BT.A.LN -0.04% British Steel,
: British Leyland, the British National Oil Corporation, Associated British
| T**********1
发帖数: 2406 | 7 Not really. At least it wasn't enough.
north Sea oil field was discovered, which saved Briton and The Netherlands.
So, she did half of the work, which was admirable, of course.
own
【在 m********a 的大作中提到】
: 她真的是救了英國啊!
: {{And so it went for the next 11 years, as Thatcher and her government
: stopped printing excess money to kill inflation, cut marginal tax rates to
: unleash private incentives, privatized public housing so the poor could own
: their own homes, did away with currency, price and wage controls to
: eliminate the distortions they imposed on the economy, curbed runaway
: spending and sold off one state asset after another so they might be
: competently and profitably managed.}}
: 太長了看不完， 收收書包回家再努力。
| b*******h
发帖数: 2585 | 8 好像也很难说。当时据说英国的衰败就是因为北海油田的开发。
那个油成本太高，和中东石油比，等于是用政府钱白白养高薪懒汉采油工。比美国养底
特律黑人汽车工人还要社会主义。
按照撒切尔的经济观点， 是应该坚决让北海油田关门的。
但是不知道她个人的观点如何。 她想关也未必能如愿。
我觉得保守主义需要把一些概念澄清，什么是社会主义， 什么是国家利益。
如果一个事情不赚钱还要养人干，那是社会主义。 但是如果这个事情是国家利益， 那不
记代价就不算社会主义了。 但是谁能说出这二者的区别？ 如果说没有经济利益驱动的
战争就是国家利益，
那和战争狂人有什么区别？如果说有经济利益驱动的打仗， 那么百姓出钱， 利益集团
拿钱，
这是不是大政府拿纳税人的钱补贴利益集团？
我是就事论事，不是在攻击铁女人打仗。 实际上她的战争动员措施好像没有美国这么
丑，值得研究。
【在 T**********1 的大作中提到】
: Not really. At least it wasn't enough.
: north Sea oil field was discovered, which saved Briton and The Netherlands.
: So, she did half of the work, which was admirable, of course.
:
: own
| m********a
发帖数: 1041 | 9 一半也算很多了呢!!
謝謝你的補充^^
【在 T**********1 的大作中提到】
: Not really. At least it wasn't enough.
: north Sea oil field was discovered, which saved Briton and The Netherlands.
: So, she did half of the work, which was admirable, of course.
:
: own
| T**********1
发帖数: 2406 | 10 Oil crisis in 1979, price triple. UK oil production peak in 1985.
那不
【在 b*******h 的大作中提到】
: 好像也很难说。当时据说英国的衰败就是因为北海油田的开发。
: 那个油成本太高，和中东石油比，等于是用政府钱白白养高薪懒汉采油工。比美国养底
: 特律黑人汽车工人还要社会主义。
: 按照撒切尔的经济观点， 是应该坚决让北海油田关门的。
: 但是不知道她个人的观点如何。 她想关也未必能如愿。
: 我觉得保守主义需要把一些概念澄清，什么是社会主义， 什么是国家利益。
: 如果一个事情不赚钱还要养人干，那是社会主义。 但是如果这个事情是国家利益， 那不
: 记代价就不算社会主义了。 但是谁能说出这二者的区别？ 如果说没有经济利益驱动的
: 战争就是国家利益，
: 那和战争狂人有什么区别？如果说有经济利益驱动的打仗， 那么百姓出钱， 利益集团
| l****z
发帖数: 29846 | 11 当时她可是储备了一年半的英国煤的消耗量. 结果工会支持了快一年吧,终于顶不住了.
teeth
feat
【在 m********a 的大作中提到】
: 這個好棒! 堅持做對的事。
: 聯想起不久前芝加哥教師工會的罷工。
:
: All this was done despite sharp short-term economic shocks and in the teeth
: of immense resistance, particularly from trade unions. In 1984, the coal
: miners union of Arthur Scargill went on strike for nearly a year. Similar
: strikes had brought past governments to their knees, but Thatcher, in a feat
: of immense courage and political skill, remained immovable and eventually
: won public opinion to her side. As she had famously said of herself a few
: years earlier (without being believed), "the lady is not for turning."
| T**********1
发帖数: 2406 | 12 Yes. Admirable lady.
Half of the half.
【在 m********a 的大作中提到】
: 一半也算很多了呢!!
: 謝謝你的補充^^
|
|
