This from John Hurst - a Grauniad columnist.
Simon Jenkins does not know what he is talking about in his eulogy of Thatcherism.
Among the issues that he and other approvers of the "Thatcher Revolution" seem oblivious of is the debasing of our comparatively decent pre-existing culture in politics, business and the public services. There is also the historically grave danger of taking Thatcher at her own valuation – "tough but tender", "insensitive and hard-hearted at times" but ultimately "liberating and enriching", and so on.
In the 1980s I was a senior manager at the headquarters of a (then) publicly-owned industry, British Rail, reporting to a director appointed by a Thatcherite cabinet minister. I observed and experienced deeply destructive and even pathological "leadership styles" quite openly and deliberately practised on the grounds that "empowerment of staff is stupid" and that only "disempowerment will deliver" – funk would breed compliance.
Such aphorisms as: "It doesn't matter what is true or fair, what matters is who has the power", "I don't give a shit about people's welfare or their families", and "You'd better not care if you know what's good for you". Such admonitions as: "You must learn to tell lies and destroy people if they get in the way", "Community responsibility is shit" (that word again!), "We can't afford safety", "You must break promises", "You must be prepared to breach confidentiality if business success requires it", "You must pretend to espouse good employment practice, such as having women in senior positions, but not actually do so", "You must pretend to communicate with staff but not actually do so"!
A general atmosphere of cynicism, mendacity, ruthlessness and crude assumptions regarding human motivation (certainly not borne out by research in contemporary depth psychology), which one was required to rejoice in, such as the exclusive efficacy of fear and avarice as motivators, polluted the culture. This inexorably led to the carnage of Clapham Junction, Southall, Ladbroke Grove, Hatfield and Potters Bar. It also led to the diminishing of any chance of the true aetiology of these avoidable disasters (avoidable since the equipment defects were already known of but not spoken of because of pressure from the corporate "minister of truth") or of any chance of anybody taking responsibility. "Keeping the lid on" became mandatory.
Coming to work became a miserable experience, surrounded as one was by crude self-seeking, a lack of concern for the general good, chronic fear, no solidarity, inclusiveness or fellowship and a cackling contempt for the weak.Any challenge to the notion that this was how to build business success led to obliteration, in what became a species of totalitarianism – the undeclared decree of Thatcher, as her more humane and public-spirited cabinet colleagues discovered to their serious discomfiture – many having supported her at first.
All this occurred under Jenkins' nose, since he was a board member for at least part of the time – though my attempts to speak to him about my concerns were rebuffed.
Well, if the mere Gordon Brown suggestion of a State Funeral for Lady Thatcher fetches up this much bile, it has been a good thing. My opinion - gained from a very similar background as the man Hurst is very different. We had just had the working week of this manufacturing company dictated by a mad coal-miner. Unions were running riot. Employers were seeing their rights to run their company circumscribed by those who wanted everything - not just something - for nothing. What she did was create a climate where a reversal could begin. I have no recollection of her advocating any of the things he complains of.
And, tell me, why did Hurst stay in a position that caused him all this pain and anguish. When did he say, to the despots who made him such a nasty person, "up with this I shall not put"? There was no Nurnberg defence of being made to do it.
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