Housing Revolution and Industrial Warfare
Thatcher's dream of turning Britain into a "property-owning democracy" seemed brilliant at first. The Housing Act of 1980 let council tenants buy their homes, and by 1988, around 2 million people had jumped at the chance - it was so popular that even Labour eventually backed it.
But here's the catch: only people in better-off areas could actually afford to buy. Meanwhile, councils had to use their profits to pay off debts instead of building new homes, creating a housing crisis with longer waiting lists and families stuck in expensive, unsuitable B&Bs.
The miners' strike of 1984-85 became the ultimate showdown between Thatcher and the unions. Unlike previous governments who'd backed down, Thatcher was ready - she'd stockpiled coal, developed North Sea oil, and had tough NCB Chairman Ian McGregor planning to close 75 pits over three years.
Arthur Scargill, the fiery NUM president, made crucial mistakes that doomed the strike. He refused to hold a democratic vote (worried miners wouldn't support him), and his far-left politics alienated moderate supporters. When Nottinghamshire miners broke away to form their own union, calling Scargill's supporters "scabs," the movement crumbled.
Quick Fact: By 1990, mining jobs had plummeted from 200,000 to just 60,000 - and trade union membership dropped by two-thirds.
