Britain 1985, Spain 2013 and digression

The rationale given for the measures currently being enacted by the Partido Popular government in Spain today is similar to that heard in Britain 30 years ago. The then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her ministers were aware that the welfare state was becoming increasingly unaffordable -the deficit rose with the servicing of the debt incurred to pay for it. The privatization and liberalization of large swathes of the economy were some of their answers. They set the tone not only for Labour later at home, but also for other countries -including the Spanish Socialists and Conservatives in the 90's. 

Focusing on 80's Britain, the new measures where introduced at great social cost. The pain was felt by citizens who had come to take for granted the high levels of social protection their country had pioneered after WWII. Riots erupted as benefits were cut and unemployment rose dramatically. However, the government stood firm.

Margaret Thatcher labelled those who opposed her policies in the streets as people who wanted to overthrow democracy. Present-day protesters in our country are branded in just the same manner by our conservatives. Just like in 1985 Britain, the government policies, along with an unfavourable European economy, are causing unemployment figures to soar. And that in a country which has had record levels of unemployment ever since the 80's, and where no degree of economic prosperity has managed to push the numbers down in all these years. 

From a height of 13% in 1982, the Thatcher governments saw a reduction in unemployment of 7 percent points. The PM was re-elected three times, and only evicted from 10 Downing Street by an internal rebellion of ministers and party officials, appalled at her increasingly dictatorial style. It is also true that in 1991, with John Major and onwards, unemployment began to rise again and would not come down until Tony Blair's years.

The point I was trying to make, rather fuzzily I realize, is that the textbook of politics say that governments bring in painful measures at the beginning of their tenure, in the hope of reaping their benefits towards the point when it's time to call an election again. 

It worked for Margaret Thatcher. She was a very outspoken leader and was never shy to put up a fight in Parliament and elsewhere. For better or for worse, there was no way the national conversation back then could escape her presence.

I have no doubts about Mariano Rajoy's resilience, willingness to stay in power and his determination to deliver the goods in the next general election. It remains to be seen whether he'll make it on time. Today's crisis is much more different than 30 years ago, or even the one 20 years ago (come to think of it, we seem to have a crisis every decade). 

Our PM is no Thatcher. Instead of being "out there", as the Iron Lady was, struggling with and against her people every step of the way, he keeps an ironclad composure. Maybe he rests assured in the conviction that the people end up re-electing those who offer good economic results, no matter how many demonstrations or sleaze cases appear in the media. 

However, there is one factor which is very different from Thatcher's times, namely the role of the internet in helping bring about fresh approaches to how society works. Some of the recent social movements that are part of the opposition to "the system" have thrived on the social networks. We'll have the answer to whether the internet is just a tool or an element of change by itself in the next few years.