Some things were better; some things were worse. I suppose it's a question of taste.
I do think only a fantasist would argue that the ever increasing lack of the old (actually) working and lower-middle class Brits in the less swanky postcodes is a wholly positive development.
On a recent trip to London I was accosted at least a dozen times from drugged up Jamaicans, creepy Nigerians and dodgy Romanians offering meth, crack cocaine, skunk and East-european (cheap cheap). Of course, being a decent, upstanding citizen I declined the offers and moved swiftly on.
Away from central London I noticed a plethora of Hookah bars, kebab shops, halal butchers, Masjids and clothing stores selling burkhas and Islamic head gear. I regret my days visiting London are now long over.
Well, some of my memories from the 70s and 80s
(not from London though because, well, because most of the population of the UK live outside London )
involve either myself or some of my friends being beaten up by skinheads or football yob types for daring to have long hair, wear a leather jacket & ride a motorbike,
it was in those early days that I learned to hate the pig ignorance and bigotry of cretinous right wing thugs, because I was a victim of it several times,
and, I am white and British born and bred,
But that's the thing with the righties, they need someone, anyone, to hate, doesn't matter who, or why, but they have to have someone to feel superior to,
and if they didn't have a ready made target, they would invent one, a theory I saw proven at an EDL demo,
after a couple of hours of chanting, and trying to force their way through the police lines (hospitalising one female copper by kicking her in the head when she was pushed over)
The 'defenders' of England got bored with fighting (and getting a battering from) OUR British police, and began fighting each other based on......... football tops,
Proof that 'anyone' or 'anything' will do for a fight, as long as the odds are in their favour,
Tossers,
Living standards for ordinary people in Britain were at their peak in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s; a period characterised by secure employment, decent wages, low unemployment, relative equality, an unusual degree of actual social mobility, relatively little (by historic and contemporay standards) poverty and continual improvement in material living conditions for most people. Places that had previously been characterised by poverty and miserable working conditions - and which would later see their entire economic and social structure collapse - were actually pretty prosperous
The post–World War II economic expansion, also known as the postwar economic boom, the long boom, and the Golden Age of Capitalism, was a period of economic prosperity in the mid-20th century, which occurred mainly in western countries following the end of World War II in 1945, and lasted until the early 1970s
During the Golden Age, UK unemployment averaged at 1.6% , compared with an average of 7.4% during the Washington Consensus
Mr Livingstone, who lost to Tory candidate Boris Johnson last week in the race to become London Mayor, said that the decline began under Margaret Thatcher. Mrs Thatcher was elected in 1979.
It's nice that you agree with him but I have to say I'm a bit surprised.
On a recent trip to London I was accosted at least a dozen times from drugged up Jamaicans, creepy Nigerians and dodgy Romanians offering meth, crack cocaine, skunk and East-european (cheap cheap). Of course, being a decent, upstanding citizen I declined the offers and moved swiftly on.
Away from central London I noticed a plethora of Hookah bars, kebab shops, halal butchers, Masjids and clothing stores selling burkhas and Islamic head gear. I regret my days visiting London are now long over.
I'd imagine they were for him - he was in office at that point, instead of trotting out bollocks on LBC like nowadays.
Anyway - since I'm a product of the London multicultural ghetto, (where my Jamaican father and Irish mother met in the 70s ) I actually quite like the way London has changed. I love that I can go into any chicken/kebab shop, flash my Darkie membership card (because you can never tell with us mixed race lads, might just be a heavy tan) and then all us brown-faces just sit around talking about how to overthrow white society. Can't beat an ethnic revolution chat over a nice halal meal!
Culturally the '70s was a decade of three halves (;))
The first few years were fine - there was still an excitement in the air - a legacy from the hippy years. Superb, challenging music and literature and great clothes.
The middle was dire - bloated music and bloated fashion.
The end was a shock - some great music, much poor, and young kids shouting about anarchy while not understanding anything about it.
(And I had my hair cut in '77 for the first time in about 7 years).
Politically of course the end of the decade ushered in the Dark Ages - a long day's journey into night.
I'd imagine they were for him - he was in office at that point, instead of trotting out bollocks on LBC like nowadays.
Anyway - since I'm a product of the London multicultural ghetto, (where my Jamaican father and Irish mother met in the 70s ) I actually quite like the way London has changed. I love that I can go into any chicken/kebab shop, flash my Darkie membership card (because you can never tell with us mixed race lads, might just be a heavy tan) and then all us brown-faces just sit around talking about how to overthrow white society. Can't beat an ethnic revolution chat over a nice halal meal!
Crackin post, absolute bollocks, but quite funny all the same,
I was 26 in 1979 whe "she" came to power, and brought to an end the best years of my life,
By the way,...Edward Heath, British Prime Minister: 1970-74 Tory,
Wilson (1974-76) and Callaghan (1976-79) Labour,
the full and devastating effects of 'Thatcherism' (on the 'industrial' working class) weren't felt until the 80s were under way,
I know this, because I LIVED through it and still remember, and will never forget the sheer soul destroying misery and the devastating effect she had on me, my family, and almost everyone I know/knew, as she waged class warfare against the working class,
So yeah, I can totally agree, life 'before Thatcher' "BT" was better for that working class of this great nation, than it was 'after Thatcher' "AT"
But I think it has very little to do with immigration, no matter how much you wish it had,
Really? My family were/are working class and actually did quite well during the eighties, generally having fond memories of the decade overall.
My dear old Dad, very much a Union man and briefly shop steward in the seventies voted 'Fatcha' throughout the eighties due to becoming disillusioned with the Trade Union movement and the institutionalised corruption inevitably associated with it (nothing changes ).
Everbody's experience, regardless of class is different I guess....
Everbody's experience, regardless of class is different I guess....
Yep. None of my extended family of my parents' generation ever experienced unemployment until the 1980s. Aye, the Blessed Margaret was our very own Founding Mother of Mass Welfare Dependency given that during the Golden Age of Capitalism, our rate of unemployment averaged 1.6%, compared with an average of 7.4% average during the Washington Consensus
The post-war 'liberal' welfare state was designed to support economic policies that strove towards full employment not support the economic policies of pro-longed periods of mass unemployment (which was most of the 1980s and following the recession of the early 1990s)
We should never have tolerated it. It took a record high unemployment rate of 5.2% (we wish) to sweep the Japanese LDP, which had a virtual hegemonic grip on governemtn, out of office. Yep, the deferential Japs would have dumped Maggie
1979: Labour isn't working ... 1.1 million unemployed having fallen from its peak of 1.4 million that came as a result of the recession, which was precipitated by the 'Oil Crisis of 1973' ... didn't head down that way did it :mad:
It would be interesting to see if - God forbid - the British voter would tolerate a double-digit of unemployment rate nowadays given the extent to which European governments are falling
Wonder if Angela 'Hoover' Merkel (Eurozone unemployment is at a record high) is a sure bet to win in 2013? Germany's doing OK, which is more than can be said for many of her trading partners. That will impact Germany
That said, I'm quite in awe of the social market economy, which is the German variant of the 'Third Way'
I'm not surprised many discontents are flocking to far left and far right parties - and that's worrying . Much of the European far right are anti-neoliberal, anti-globalisation
Really? My family were/are working class and actually did quite well during the eighties, generally having fond memories of the decade overall.
My dear old Dad, very much a Union man and briefly shop steward in the seventies voted 'Fatcha' throughout the eighties due to becoming disillusioned with the Trade Union movement and the institutionalised corruption inevitably associated with it (nothing changes ).
Everbody's experience, regardless of class is different I guess....
Indeed it is, It may or may not surprise you to know that I actually voted Tory in 79, just a month short of my 26th birthday,
One of my reasons being that I too thought the unions were out of control and needed 'reining in' but NOT completely castrating which is what 'she' did,
Another reason was to stick my middle finger up to my father, who insisted that,
"while I live in his (council) house I vote Labour, As the Tories are the enemy of the working class, they hate us and want to keep us down, They only look after their rich friends"
I belived he was wrong, and that no British political party could possibly 'think' or behave like that, "it's the 20th century not the 18 or 19th dad"
Before the end of the 80s I realised I had made an awful mistake, but I never got the chance to tell either of my parents that they were right in everything they said about the Tories, as neither of them saw the end of the decade,
I never signed on the dole ONCE from 1968 when I left school, until 1982, AFTER 1982 until the late 90s I was never in continuous employment for more than 2 years without being made redundant, and I spent long periods 'scrounging' on the dole as our industries were wasted in the name of profit,
The experiences both I and my family and many of my friend had under the Thatcher Tories, and the Things I see happening under the Cameron/Clegg Tories
(there is NOTHING either 'liberal' OR 'democratic' about this lot)
Leaves me with an unshakeable conviction that the Tories are the 'enemy' and that they despise me and my 'class' But that's ok, because the feeling is definitely mutual,
Maybe you should go to a nicer part of town. I was walking down Hampstead High Street and up Parliament Hill the other weekend and didn't notice any of this
When I worked at the Royal Free hospital in the early 80's and used to take a stroll up to Hampstead on a Saturday morning, I was constantly accosted by the stricter Jewish community who had the temerity to insist on walking everywhere and wear a striking looking uniform - absolute nightmare
If you were really unlucky, you bumped into Michael Foot.
The day Eddie & The Hotrods took the centre spread in NME under the banner "This Band Is The Future Of Rock n Roll" was the start of the rebirth of music.
The music I love today, and have loved over the past 4 decades would never have happened without punk. Neither would BBC 6 Music.
As for Ken's wittering about the 70s - just confirms his status as delusional old codger.
Comments
It wasn't bad but not as good as in the 50's and 60's.
I do think only a fantasist would argue that the ever increasing lack of the old (actually) working and lower-middle class Brits in the less swanky postcodes is a wholly positive development.
Well, some of my memories from the 70s and 80s
(not from London though because, well, because most of the population of the UK live outside London )
involve either myself or some of my friends being beaten up by skinheads or football yob types for daring to have long hair, wear a leather jacket & ride a motorbike,
it was in those early days that I learned to hate the pig ignorance and bigotry of cretinous right wing thugs, because I was a victim of it several times,
and, I am white and British born and bred,
But that's the thing with the righties, they need someone, anyone, to hate, doesn't matter who, or why, but they have to have someone to feel superior to,
and if they didn't have a ready made target, they would invent one, a theory I saw proven at an EDL demo,
after a couple of hours of chanting, and trying to force their way through the police lines (hospitalising one female copper by kicking her in the head when she was pushed over)
The 'defenders' of England got bored with fighting (and getting a battering from) OUR British police, and began fighting each other based on......... football tops,
Proof that 'anyone' or 'anything' will do for a fight, as long as the odds are in their favour,
Tossers,
The post–World War II economic expansion, also known as the postwar economic boom, the long boom, and the Golden Age of Capitalism, was a period of economic prosperity in the mid-20th century, which occurred mainly in western countries following the end of World War II in 1945, and lasted until the early 1970s
During the Golden Age, UK unemployment averaged at 1.6%
Brenty the secret leftie...
Cool story Brenty.
The first few years were fine - there was still an excitement in the air - a legacy from the hippy years. Superb, challenging music and literature and great clothes.
The middle was dire - bloated music and bloated fashion.
The end was a shock - some great music, much poor, and young kids shouting about anarchy while not understanding anything about it.
(And I had my hair cut in '77 for the first time in about 7 years).
Politically of course the end of the decade ushered in the Dark Ages - a long day's journey into night.
RIP Britain.
Quality post sir, marvellous .:D
Really? My family were/are working class and actually did quite well during the eighties, generally having fond memories of the decade overall.
My dear old Dad, very much a Union man and briefly shop steward in the seventies voted 'Fatcha' throughout the eighties due to becoming disillusioned with the Trade Union movement and the institutionalised corruption inevitably associated with it (nothing changes
Everbody's experience, regardless of class is different I guess....
Yep. None of my extended family of my parents' generation ever experienced unemployment until the 1980s. Aye, the Blessed Margaret was our very own Founding Mother of Mass Welfare Dependency given that during the Golden Age of Capitalism, our rate of unemployment averaged 1.6%, compared with an average of 7.4% average during the Washington Consensus
The post-war 'liberal' welfare state was designed to support economic policies that strove towards full employment not support the economic policies of pro-longed periods of mass unemployment (which was most of the 1980s and following the recession of the early 1990s)
We should never have tolerated it. It took a record high unemployment rate of 5.2% (we wish) to sweep the Japanese LDP, which had a virtual hegemonic grip on governemtn, out of office. Yep, the deferential Japs would have dumped Maggie
1979: Labour isn't working ... 1.1 million unemployed having fallen from its peak of 1.4 million that came as a result of the recession, which was precipitated by the 'Oil Crisis of 1973' ... didn't head down that way did it :mad:
It would be interesting to see if - God forbid - the British voter would tolerate a double-digit of unemployment rate nowadays given the extent to which European governments are falling
Wonder if Angela 'Hoover' Merkel (Eurozone unemployment is at a record high) is a sure bet to win in 2013? Germany's doing OK, which is more than can be said for many of her trading partners. That will impact Germany
That said, I'm quite in awe of the social market economy, which is the German variant of the 'Third Way'
I'm not surprised many discontents are flocking to far left and far right parties - and that's worrying
See, now I'm confused. Just WHOSE "enemy within" IS he, exactly?
...sorry, meant to say "ARE they", not "IS he".
Did you hair go grey and thin out in the 1980s? Are we getting to the root cause of your hatred?
Indeed it is, It may or may not surprise you to know that I actually voted Tory in 79, just a month short of my 26th birthday,
One of my reasons being that I too thought the unions were out of control and needed 'reining in' but NOT completely castrating which is what 'she' did,
Another reason was to stick my middle finger up to my father, who insisted that,
"while I live in his (council) house I vote Labour, As the Tories are the enemy of the working class, they hate us and want to keep us down, They only look after their rich friends"
I belived he was wrong, and that no British political party could possibly 'think' or behave like that, "it's the 20th century not the 18 or 19th dad"
Before the end of the 80s I realised I had made an awful mistake, but I never got the chance to tell either of my parents that they were right in everything they said about the Tories, as neither of them saw the end of the decade,
I never signed on the dole ONCE from 1968 when I left school, until 1982, AFTER 1982 until the late 90s I was never in continuous employment for more than 2 years without being made redundant, and I spent long periods 'scrounging' on the dole as our industries were wasted in the name of profit,
The experiences both I and my family and many of my friend had under the Thatcher Tories, and the Things I see happening under the Cameron/Clegg Tories
(there is NOTHING either 'liberal' OR 'democratic' about this lot)
Leaves me with an unshakeable conviction that the Tories are the 'enemy' and that they despise me and my 'class' But that's ok, because the feeling is definitely mutual,
Nah, that was later!
Thinking about it again, I believe when I had my hair cut was a few years later than I thought.
Perhaps it was the result of the onset of the Dark Ages!:)
When I worked at the Royal Free hospital in the early 80's and used to take a stroll up to Hampstead on a Saturday morning, I was constantly accosted by the stricter Jewish community who had the temerity to insist on walking everywhere and wear a striking looking uniform - absolute nightmare
If you were really unlucky, you bumped into Michael Foot.
Au contraire.
The day Eddie & The Hotrods took the centre spread in NME under the banner "This Band Is The Future Of Rock n Roll" was the start of the rebirth of music.
The music I love today, and have loved over the past 4 decades would never have happened without punk. Neither would BBC 6 Music.
As for Ken's wittering about the 70s - just confirms his status as delusional old codger.
Funny old thing, life. I actually voted Labour for the first and last time in 79, at 19 years old.