Harold Macmillan: The Wind of Change

A short extract from the Edwardian poseur's most famous speech. His wife Lady Dorothy had a long affair with Lord Boothby. Macmillan openly admiited that he went 'to bed with a Trollope'. He was not making a comment on his marital life, he meant a book of course, and was fond of the author Anthony Trollope.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Harold
• MacMillan
• The
• Wind
• of
• Change

[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

[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

[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.

[avenueq14]

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

[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.

[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 - 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.

[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.

[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.