From: "Andy" <as-AT-spelthorne.ac.uk>
Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 19:21:05 +0000
Subject: Re: Decline of Anarchism



> I said
> 
> >> I am also old enough to remember that 
> >> it was quite "impossible" to defeat Maggie
> >> Thatcher, the Iron Lady. That is, it was impossible
> >> until we did it, when a huge mass movement 
> >> of defiance, with significant anarchist
> >> involvement, ended the poll tax.
> 
> and Andy commented
> 
> >...but resulted in substantial VAT increases 
> 
> I don't accept that happened  _ as a result_
> of the success of the anti-poll-tax movement.
> Of course the defeat of the poll tax was not 
> a revolution   -   we are not living in an anarchist 
> society   -   so the ruling class continues to do 
> horrible things. Nevertheless, our success in
> defeating the poll tax was a real and substantial 
> victory. ..........
> ..........That experience in itself, the feeling that we had 
> actually influenced the course of history,  
> was a real victory, and no "yes but......"  
> talk can take it away from us.
> 

There was no intention of taking away the victory and it did unseat 
Thatcher which was a real achievement. My point was more of a 
footnote in  that the Tories reverted from the arrogant triumphalism 
of the poll tax,  to more subtle taxing of the poor. This was done  
by shifting taxation from local government [to make the council tax 
more palatable] to central government via VAT. There obviously wasn't 
a clear line of cause and effect, but it was a consequence albeit 
unforseen, and botched up as a solution.


_as