Analysis On Thatcher Government Industrial Policies

The United Kingdom is the oldest country which forms trade unions and carries out collective bargaining between employers and employees, especially varies of reforms within Mrs. Thatcher’s ruling period has significantly improved UK’s industrial relations. The reforms of industrial relations could be called the core of the Thatcher’s revolution. Thatcher completely abandoned the consensus politics after World War II. Under the influence of Conservatism and neoliberalism, her concept of labor formed and be carried out to every field related to industrial relations. Although these reforms didn’t conquer the trade unions, the strength of trade unions was weakened by them and a fundamental change happened to Britain’s industrial relations and force.This paper mainly used literature research method and historical analysis method, started from the related theory of the Thatcher government industrial policies-incrementalism, combed systematically British industrial relations situation before Thatcher:laissez faire collective bargaining before 1945; the continuation of wartime labor mechanism, corporatism labor mechanism and the labor mechanism dominated by trade unions. Through analysis, the content of the Thatcher government industrial policies included:labor legislation and reshape free economy. Comment the performance of the Thatcher government industrial policies from political, economic and social aspects. Then discussing the influence on the Thatcher era: both Major government and Blair government carried out Thatcher’s industrial relations policies. Thereby, the author came to three conclusions:Thatcher Government Industrial Policies adapted to the British national conditions, Thatcher Government Industrial Policies used judicial reform and economic reform as the breakthrough point, the influence of the Thatcherism was profound.