I'm not condoning what Thatcher did, however, one must understand that the coal industry had been in decline for many years.

If you examine the list of mines in the Durham Coalfield [http://www.dmm.org.uk/lom/index.htm] you will notice that the majority of mines closed during the 1950s and 60s. This was caused, in part, by resource exhaustion (yes, we may live above a big seam of coal however its effectiveness as fuel depends on quality - something that was becoming harder to source and mine in the North East), unprofitable pits, and a consequence of the 1956 Clean Air Act which saw households and industry move away from coal and onto cheaper, cleaner methods of fuel consumption.

Thatcher undoubtedly hit the final nail in the coffin for the industry and her methods of breaking the strike raises serious concerns about the role of the (metropolitan) police and the monopoly of legitimate state violence. However, mining was largely struggling, largely unprofitable and would have needed some sort of restructuring or consolidation. Job losses would have came regardless.

Another interesting debate surrounds whether the coal industry would have been able to attract a younger workforce. If you were a mine worker in the 1980s would you really want your child following in your footsteps into a laborious and dangerous industry? Or if you were on the verge of leaving school at 16, would it be your choice to work down a mine? - Of course beggars can't be choosers when there are lack of employment prospects but, arguably, it would have seen a large employee turnover as people sought work elsewhere.