One of the things she did was to change the basis upon which such things as unemployment are calculated and to exclude from the figures many who were previously included. She also removed the fair wages legislation, making poverty pay legal. If you are going to compare please try comparing like with like. I also lived through that age and in addition have studied the politics and labour relations of the time with the benefit of information which at the time was suppressed. Have you forgotten the effect of the 5 fold hike in oil prices and the effects that had. Also try remembering that the cost and benefits to a country of a major industry are different to individual shareholders. When you throw large numbers of people out of work it has a knock on effect on the whole community and increases the burden on the benefits system paid by those who have not yet lost their jobs, even if like MT you try to reduce the number of people claiming by removing eligibility from those in need. Oh and on the reversal of policies, we are still living with the after- effects of having a generation that was encouraged to think that believing in co-operation and community was weak and that selfish ambition was admirable by "there is no such thing as society" Thatcher and her highly effective propaganda.