Harold Macmillan: The Wind of Change

[Brimenting]

The date of the speech was 3 February 1960. There is a full version of the speech here: bbc.co.uk/archive/apartheid/72­03.shtml

[thegiantpeach1]

Oh I dare say! This Rhodesian issue did seem to be a bit of a bother! Yes, quite so I feel. I daren't say that this poppycock served anymore purpose than a rapscallion does for his society. Har har!

[maraisetienne2]

@RichardElden Just like Cecil John Rhodes, opposite ideas but all grandiose and conceptual

[avenueq14]

what was the music at the end? it was the best part!

[SuperMassiveDementiA]

MacMillan actually came very close to joining the Labour party, he was very left wing for a Tory especially for his generation. He wasn't only a great Prime Minister, he was also a first world war hero, and probably deserves more credit for that also. He was a genuinely decent guy, unlike most of today's politicians with their sleazy PR skills and blatant lies to an ungrateful country, very much in decline, or so it would seem.

[Cena60793]

The Tories became complete Shitbags since Thatcher took over, not that I liked them anyway, but Macmillan wasn't bad for me, considering he's a Tory

[jerryg1964]

Lead where? He waffled on every issue and coasted on the inevitable postwar recovery. Wouldn't speak out for immigration, but wouldn't control it either. Had concerns about the British economy & industry, but did nothing to make it competitive and wouldn't stand up to the unions. Kept borrowing until the debt eventually forced devaluation. Surrounded himself with old boys calcified by hypocrisy and scandal. Like her or not, at least Thatcher finally addressed this deep societal & economic rot.

[Shnufkin]

Macmillan is a tory I can agree with. If only more of the current Conservative crop could seek to emulate him rather than Thatcher.

[lekotar]

1:14 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[o01R0NM4N0o]

with the exeption of chruchill one of our best leaders :) he sounds incredibly like dumbledoor XD

[3NUNS]

Oh yes, old chap ! Mugabe and all that !

[bigman1me]

i hope they restore the british empire

[3NUNS]

@bigman1me : Don't think so !

[nomad949]

and what a proud legacy is Zimbabwe-hopefully you, harold Wilson and your american liberal peers are dealt with by history for the consequences of folly unsurpassed.

[theredraven]

Are you calling Macmillan a "liberal"?

[nomad949]

a liberal he was not. His colonial policy though was more in line with liberal thinking though the coup de grace was deli9vered by Harold Wilson

[fishhead06]

@nomad949 He was simply explaining reality to the South Africans: "Whether we like it or not" - he wasn't endorsing any other policy than opening their eyes. And he was right. He was prophetic. If the South African rulers had listened, a lot of grief and bloodshed might have been avoided.

[willyrobinson]

@fishhead06 - No he was signaling that his Tory party was giving up on Conservatism in favor of what would later become known as Neo-Liberalism. He's also signaling that South Africa should 'Fall in!' behind Britain in it's drive to annihilate what was white africa (Kenya was a good example most don't know much about). Africa Addio gives a little perspective. Anthony Jacob's book, 'White Man Think Again!' goes into it in detail.

[willyrobinson]

@fishhead06 - So far as bloodshed is concerned 98/99+% of it was black on black. It's still that way. Had they given in it would've just sped up the process that lead to what South Africa is today (a shit hole), and caused chaos with Communist blacks seeing a clear path to power, as well as whites scrambling for their livelihoods. I bring the Rhodesian Action Party as an exhibit for my case. If you created a problem such as you're proposing the reaction would've been a very strong...

[willyrobinson]

@fishhead06 ...Rhodesian Action Party sort of movement to which the only solution left would be immense violence no matter the outcome.

Lesson to learn: You can't have a first world nation with a third world populace.

[maraisetienne2]

@fishhead06 Nonsense, the Communist and Terrorist ANC was supported by the British, with their headquarters in London, the Brits were using blacks against Afrikaners.

[richardrichard07]

Shame you don't get Tories like super Mac anymore.

[haasxaar]

one of the best PMs Britain ever had - exactly politically what we need now

[moderate1992]

what music is this?

[judkinsmajor]

@moderate1992 VERY, very late to the game, but it's from the "L'Arlesienne" Suite by Georges Bizet. I think it's the last movement from Suite #2--the "Farandole."