The Thatcher IT fallacy

[proggy]

A few people are making the case that if it wasn't for Thatcher there would be no IT contracting. There is no evidence given, just a very weak link to business deregulation or some tosh. It happened that as Thatchers era came to a close the Internet/IT business exploded, and this would have happened with or without Thatcher. It doesn't take a lot of thought to deduce, that, the rapid growth would require skilled IT workers, so please stop with the Non sequiturs.

[Ignis Fatuus]

A few people are making the case that if it wasn't for Thatcher there would be no IT contracting. There is no evidence given, just a very weak link to business deregulation or some tosh. It happened that as Thatchers era came to a close the Internet/IT business exploded, and this would have happened with or without Thatcher. It doesn't take a lot of thought to deduce, that, the rapid growth would require skilled IT workers, so please stop with the Non sequiturs.

Like what I said. I was an IT contractor before Thatcher, and it was doing very nicely thank you.

And indeed a lot of Thatcher's greatest "achievements" actually just happened: like, most of all, North Sea oil, which just came along in time for Thatcher to profit from it.


What depresses me is not that Thatcher goes down in history for fixing the British economy, when all she did was sell off wealth that others had created. What really depresses the hell out of me is that people, such as the Tories in charge of the current coalition government, believe the myth, so they try to get more of that success by doing more of what they think she did. Sigh. This lot will really ruin this country. They don't understand that Thatcherism only works if you have a shedload of public assets to sell off.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

You're right, and in any case like all of Thactherisms other effects, it's unknowable what would have happened otherwise, and any attempt to imagine it is coloured by where you're starting from.

Don't expect dodgy and his pals to give up their daft hypocrisy mantra any time soon though - that would require logic.

[AtW]

if it wasn't for Thatcher there would be no IT contracting.

I think successive Govts (especially Labour) that increased personal taxation should get more credit for it.

[Goatfell]

You're right, and in any case like all of Thactherisms other effects, it's unknowable what would have happened otherwise, and any attempt to imagine it is coloured by where you're starting from.

Don't expect dodgy and his pals to give up their daft hypocrisy mantra any time soon though - that would require logic.

And vice versa, if Thatcher was 'lucky' to have happened along at the same time as all the benefits, she was also cursed with the conditions prevalent at that time, three sides to every story, yours, mine and the truth.

Just sayin' like. . .

[DodgyAgent]

A few people are making the case that if it wasn't for Thatcher there would be no IT contracting. There is no evidence given, just a very weak link to business deregulation or some tosh. It happened that as Thatchers era came to a close the Internet/IT business exploded, and this would have happened with or without Thatcher. It doesn't take a lot of thought to deduce, that, the rapid growth would require skilled IT workers, so please stop with the Non sequiturs.

That is utter bollocks. There was no need for the banks to compete. The market was highly regulated and controlled by the state. The Electricity markets likewise why on earth would they have invested in IT when they had no need to. The printing unions would have fought off any attempt to bring in technology safe in the knowledge that their members would have jobs come what may.

It is unpalatable I know but as I said in another thread the enrichment of job destroying IT contractors were the unintended consequence of Thatcherism.

[GB9]

What really depresses me is that we still have Scottish representation in our parliament, assisiting in giving the Labour party more seats that it should.

So....come the vote, if you boys up there behave and vote for independence, you get what you want, we get rid of you (and Labour) and everyone is happy. Except the scrounging socialists, and who cares about them anyway.

[eek]

That is utter bollocks. There was no need for the banks to compete. The market was highly regulated and controlled by the state. The Electricity markets likewise why on earth would they have invested in IT when they had no need to. The printing unions would have fought off any attempt to bring in technology safe in the knowledge that their members would have jobs come what may.

It is unpalatable I know but as I said in another thread the enrichment of job destroying IT contractors were the unintended consequence of Thatcherism.

No IT and hence IT contractors would have occurred regardless of the government. The reason is incredibly simple, companies like profits and profits can be created by lowering costs. IT provided the quickest way of lowering those costs for a one off investment.

[RasputinDude]

What really depresses me is that so many people seem to have held a central core of bile, spite and hate in their psyche for so long.

It can't be good for their mental health, and if they can feel that way about one person I wonder what they feel about others that they have to bimble through life with.

[sasguru]

It is unpalatable I know but as I said in another thread the enrichment of job destroying IT contractors were the unintended consequence of Thatcherism.

I know you started getting this bee in your bonnet yesterday that Thatcher invented IT. And being a complete imbecile you probably believe it. But repeating it ad nauseam doesn't make it true you complete moron.