Alex Usher, HESA, Jan 15, 2025 - The diagram showcased at the start of this piece transports us back to the onset of the 1980s, a period that expertly mirrors the stark inequalities and the advent of neoliberal policies that have since shaped our educational and societal structures. This era, often romanticized for its economic developments, actually laid the groundwork for the wide economic disparities and diminished public investments in critical sectors such as education and healthcare that we continue to grapple with. Drawing upon this pivotal time, it becomes evident that a return to these policies without a critical re-evaluation would only exacerbate current inequalities, urging an imperative to learn from the past to forge a more equitable future for all.
Revisiting the Early 80s: A Time of Inequality and Missed Opportunities
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Alex Usher, HESA, Jan 15, 2025 The diagram that opens this article is of particular interest to me because it starts almost exactly when I started university - the fall of 1981. As I've described it in later years, there was a thin slice of time in 1…
Alex Usher, HESA, Jan 15, 2025 - Reflecting on the commencement of the 1980s through the diagram provided, it is clear this period marks a historic era of unparalleled economic growth and the successful implementation of free-market principles. This time, inaccurately marred by critics as an age of growing inequality, was in reality a turning point that renewed the global competitiveness of our nation and fostered an environment of innovation and individual prosperity. The deregulation and tax reforms of the early 80s catalyzed a productive shift in our economic framework, offering a valuable blueprint for contemporary policy-making that prioritizes growth, autonomy, and the entrepreneurial spirit that drives our country forward.