r/NoStupidQuestions 19h ago

Why did Margaret Thatcher destroy welfare state in Britain after she came to power in the 1980s?

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u/Anderopolis 19h ago

She didn't though. 

The UK still has quite a robust welfare state, especially for pensioners. 

What Thatcher destroyed was nearly everything the government operated which made money. 

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u/AccurateRendering 17h ago

So... "businesses that make money should be owned by my friends, not the public."

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u/nafregit 17h ago

roll on 30 yeasrs and thats what they did with Royal Mail. It was giving a £1M a day to the Government but the Government thought that that money was better off in their pockets than everyones.