OCR Specification focus:
‘Unemployment and the Trade Unions, the Miners’ Strike; social policies and unrest.’
The 1980s in Britain saw major economic dislocation, rising unemployment, bitter clashes with Trade Unions, and widespread social unrest, profoundly reshaping politics, society, and labour relations.
Unemployment under Thatcher
Economic background
Margaret Thatcher’s governments from 1979 pursued monetarist policies aimed at reducing inflation. These policies involved high interest rates, reduced government spending, and control of the money supply. While intended to stabilise the economy, they contributed to sharp rises in unemployment.
By 1983, official unemployment stood at over 3 million (more than 11% of the workforce).
Line chart of the UK unemployment rate since 1881 with a pronounced peak in the early 1980s. This situates Thatcher-era unemployment in its long-run context. Extra detail: the chart spans 1881–present; learners should focus on the early-1980s surge that aligns with this subsubtopic. Source
Traditional industries such as coal mining, shipbuilding, and steel experienced severe contraction due to lack of competitiveness and reduced state support.
Regional disparities deepened, with the north of England, Scotland, and Wales suffering disproportionately compared to the south-east.
Impact on society
Unemployment not only reduced income but also undermined communities built around heavy industry. Social costs included:
Long-term joblessness, especially among youth.
Increased dependency on welfare benefits.
Erosion of traditional working-class solidarity and security.
Monetarism: An economic theory advocating control of the money supply to combat inflation, prioritising low inflation over full employment.
Trade Unions and government confrontation
Decline of Trade Union power
The Thatcher governments saw the Trade Unions as a barrier to economic modernisation. A series of laws progressively restricted their influence:
Employment Act (1980): Limited picketing and required ballots for strike action.
Employment Act (1982): Curtailed closed shops and made unions financially liable for unlawful strikes.
Trade Union Act (1984): Introduced mandatory secret ballots before strikes.
These measures weakened union bargaining power and reflected a deliberate strategy to reduce their political weight.
The Miners’ Strike (1984–1985)
The most dramatic confrontation came with the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) strike, led by Arthur Scargill, against the National Coal Board’s plans to close uneconomic pits.
The government stockpiled coal and prepared police forces for confrontation.
Strike participation was strongest in Yorkshire, Scotland, and Wales, but weaker in Nottinghamshire, where many miners continued to work.
Violent clashes, such as the Battle of Orgreave (1984), symbolised the intensity of the conflict.
Photograph of a Support the Miners march in SE London, 1984, showing banners and organised protest during the NUM strike. It conveys union solidarity and the scale of public engagement. Extra detail: this image depicts a London march, not Orgreave itself, but it directly illustrates the wider strike movement. Source
Lack of a national ballot weakened the strike’s legitimacy and divided opinion.
By March 1985, the NUM conceded defeat without securing concessions. This represented a major blow to union power and marked a turning point in British industrial relations.
Closed Shop: A workplace where employment is conditional on union membership.
Social unrest in the 1980s
Inner-city disturbances
The early 1980s saw serious outbreaks of rioting in deprived urban areas, particularly among young black communities.
The Brixton Riots (1981) erupted amid tensions with the police, unemployment, and poor housing.
Other cities such as Toxteth (Liverpool), Handsworth (Birmingham), and Moss Side (Manchester) experienced similar unrest.
The Scarman Report (1981) acknowledged racial disadvantage and criticised policing methods such as “stop and search”.
Social policies and welfare changes
Thatcher’s policies aimed to reduce state dependency, but in practice many reforms deepened divisions:
Cuts to housing subsidies and introduction of Right to Buy encouraged home ownership but reduced availability of social housing.
Educational reforms stressed standards and accountability, including the expansion of vocational training for unemployed youth.
Critics argued that policies neglected deprived regions and increased inequality.
Social divisions
The combination of mass unemployment, weakened unions, and aggressive policing strategies contributed to a sense of alienation in many communities. This was compounded by visible north–south divides, with southern England benefiting more from economic growth later in the decade.
Long-term consequences
Trade Union membership fell dramatically, from around 13 million in 1979 to below 9 million by 1990.
Industrial disputes declined, but so did the ability of organised labour to protect workers’ rights.
The weakening of unions allowed successive governments to pursue more flexible labour markets.
The social unrest of the period highlighted deep issues of race, class, and economic inequality.
The 1980s therefore marked a decisive break from the post-war consensus on industrial relations and full employment. Thatcher’s approach permanently altered the balance of power between government, business, and the unions, with long-lasting effects on British society.
FAQ
The Thatcher government made extensive preparations before announcing pit closures. Coal stocks were built up at power stations, reducing the risk of shortages during industrial action.
Police were trained and coordinated nationally to deal with picketing, ensuring the state could respond firmly.
This forward planning weakened the strike’s leverage and ensured the government could withstand a prolonged confrontation.
In Nottinghamshire, many miners refused to join the strike and continued working.
Their decision created a breakaway group, later forming the Union of Democratic Mineworkers (UDM).
This division undermined national solidarity, providing the government with coal supplies and weakening Arthur Scargill’s NUM leadership.
The media often portrayed striking miners as violent and disruptive, especially during confrontations such as the Battle of Orgreave.
Television coverage, sometimes accused of bias, emphasised clashes with police rather than the miners’ grievances.
This shaped public opinion, leading to less sympathy for the strike and bolstering government resolve.
Youth unemployment rose sharply as school leavers faced limited prospects in shrinking industrial sectors.
The government introduced Youth Training Schemes (YTS) to provide vocational skills and reduce joblessness.
Critics argued these schemes were cheap labour programmes, offering little long-term employment security.
Several factors combined to fuel unrest in Brixton:
High unemployment, particularly among young black men.
Poor housing and limited access to social services.
Tense relations with police, aggravated by the heavy use of stop and search under the Sus law.
The riots highlighted broader racial inequalities and led to calls for reform in urban policy and policing.
Practice Questions
Question 1 (2 marks)
In which year did the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) strike against pit closures begin?
Mark scheme:
1 mark for identifying the strike year as 1984.
A further 1 mark for noting that the strike continued until 1985.
Question 2 (6 marks)
Explain two reasons why unemployment rose so sharply in Britain during the early 1980s under Margaret Thatcher.
Mark scheme:
Up to 3 marks for each valid reason explained.
Possible points include:
Monetarist policies: High interest rates and cuts in government spending reduced inflation but caused businesses to close, leading to mass job losses (1–3 marks depending on detail).
Decline of traditional industries: Coal, steel, and shipbuilding were uncompetitive, received less state support, and collapsed, causing regional unemployment (1–3 marks depending on detail).
To gain full marks, students must give two distinct reasons, with clear explanation of how each caused rising unemployment.
