diff --git a/include/boost/python/class.hpp b/include/boost/python/class.hpp
index d409f9b9..f43b615a 100644
--- a/include/boost/python/class.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/python/class.hpp
@@ -45,8 +45,7 @@
 # if BOOST_WORKAROUND(__MWERKS__, <= 0x3004)                        \
     /* pro9 reintroduced the bug */                                 \
     || (BOOST_WORKAROUND(__MWERKS__, > 0x3100)                      \
-        && BOOST_WORKAROUND(__MWERKS__, BOOST_TESTED_AT(0x3201)))   \
-    || BOOST_WORKAROUND(__GNUC__, < 3)
+        && BOOST_WORKAROUND(__MWERKS__, BOOST_TESTED_AT(0x3201)))
 
 #  define BOOST_PYTHON_NO_MEMBER_POINTER_ORDERING 1
 
diff --git a/include/boost/python/copy_const_reference.hpp b/include/boost/python/copy_const_reference.hpp
index 19e3b423..55bede13 100644
--- a/include/boost/python/copy_const_reference.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/python/copy_const_reference.hpp
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ namespace detail
 {
   template <class R>
   struct copy_const_reference_expects_a_const_reference_return_type
-# if defined(__GNUC__) && __GNUC__ >= 3 || defined(__EDG__)
+# if defined(__GNUC__) || defined(__EDG__)
   {}
 # endif
   ;
diff --git a/include/boost/python/copy_non_const_reference.hpp b/include/boost/python/copy_non_const_reference.hpp
index 78b70f5d..15fef62d 100644
--- a/include/boost/python/copy_non_const_reference.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/python/copy_non_const_reference.hpp
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ namespace detail
 {
   template <class R>
   struct copy_non_const_reference_expects_a_non_const_reference_return_type
-# if defined(__GNUC__) && __GNUC__ >= 3 || defined(__EDG__)
+# if defined(__GNUC__) || defined(__EDG__)
   {}
 # endif
   ;
diff --git a/include/boost/python/default_call_policies.hpp b/include/boost/python/default_call_policies.hpp
index 3d32d2eb..fcc242a9 100644
--- a/include/boost/python/default_call_policies.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/python/default_call_policies.hpp
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ namespace detail
 {
 // for "readable" error messages
   template <class T> struct specify_a_return_value_policy_to_wrap_functions_returning
-# if defined(__GNUC__) && __GNUC__ >= 3 || defined(__EDG__)
+# if defined(__GNUC__) || defined(__EDG__)
   {}
 # endif 
   ;
diff --git a/include/boost/python/manage_new_object.hpp b/include/boost/python/manage_new_object.hpp
index d81421da..9585b13a 100644
--- a/include/boost/python/manage_new_object.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/python/manage_new_object.hpp
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ namespace detail
 {
   template <class R>
   struct manage_new_object_requires_a_pointer_return_type
-# if defined(__GNUC__) && __GNUC__ >= 3 || defined(__EDG__)
+# if defined(__GNUC__) || defined(__EDG__)
   {}
 # endif
   ;
diff --git a/include/boost/python/object/pointer_holder.hpp b/include/boost/python/object/pointer_holder.hpp
index 4627e34a..27d95193 100644
--- a/include/boost/python/object/pointer_holder.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/python/object/pointer_holder.hpp
@@ -46,11 +46,7 @@ template <class T> class wrapper;
 
 namespace boost { namespace python { namespace objects {
 
-#  if BOOST_WORKAROUND(__GNUC__, == 2)
-#   define BOOST_PYTHON_UNFORWARD_LOCAL(z, n, _) BOOST_PP_COMMA_IF(n) (typename unforward<A##n>::type)objects::do_unforward(a##n,0)
-#  else
-#   define BOOST_PYTHON_UNFORWARD_LOCAL(z, n, _) BOOST_PP_COMMA_IF(n) objects::do_unforward(a##n,0)
-#  endif 
+#define BOOST_PYTHON_UNFORWARD_LOCAL(z, n, _) BOOST_PP_COMMA_IF(n) objects::do_unforward(a##n,0)
 
 template <class Pointer, class Value>
 struct pointer_holder : instance_holder
diff --git a/include/boost/python/object/value_holder.hpp b/include/boost/python/object/value_holder.hpp
index f4d452ca..a4e91786 100644
--- a/include/boost/python/object/value_holder.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/python/object/value_holder.hpp
@@ -33,11 +33,7 @@
 
 namespace boost { namespace python { namespace objects { 
 
-#  if BOOST_WORKAROUND(__GNUC__, == 2)
-#   define BOOST_PYTHON_UNFORWARD_LOCAL(z, n, _) BOOST_PP_COMMA_IF(n) (typename unforward<A##n>::type)objects::do_unforward(a##n,0)
-#  else
-#   define BOOST_PYTHON_UNFORWARD_LOCAL(z, n, _) BOOST_PP_COMMA_IF(n) objects::do_unforward(a##n,0)
-#  endif 
+#define BOOST_PYTHON_UNFORWARD_LOCAL(z, n, _) BOOST_PP_COMMA_IF(n) objects::do_unforward(a##n,0)
 
 template <class Value>
 struct value_holder : instance_holder
diff --git a/include/boost/python/object_core.hpp b/include/boost/python/object_core.hpp
index 0b1b660c..a730d3d8 100644
--- a/include/boost/python/object_core.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/python/object_core.hpp
@@ -238,23 +238,9 @@ namespace api
   template <class T>
   typename objects::unforward_cref<T>::type do_unforward_cref(T const& x)
   {
-# if BOOST_WORKAROUND(__GNUC__, == 2)
-      typedef typename objects::unforward_cref<T>::type ret;
-      return ret(x);
-# else
       return x;
-# endif 
   }
 
-# if BOOST_WORKAROUND(__GNUC__, == 2)
-  // GCC 2.x has non-const string literals; this hacks around that problem.
-  template <unsigned N>
-  char const (& do_unforward_cref(char const(&x)[N]) )[N]
-  {
-      return x;
-  }
-# endif
-  
   class object;
   
   template <class T>
diff --git a/include/boost/python/reference_existing_object.hpp b/include/boost/python/reference_existing_object.hpp
index bb8ddf73..8c241071 100644
--- a/include/boost/python/reference_existing_object.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/python/reference_existing_object.hpp
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ namespace detail
 {
   template <class R>
   struct reference_existing_object_requires_a_pointer_or_reference_return_type
-# if defined(__GNUC__) && __GNUC__ >= 3 || defined(__EDG__)
+# if defined(__GNUC__) || defined(__EDG__)
   {}
 # endif
   ;
diff --git a/include/boost/python/return_arg.hpp b/include/boost/python/return_arg.hpp
old mode 100755
new mode 100644
index c36f898d..e869a58d
--- a/include/boost/python/return_arg.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/python/return_arg.hpp
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ namespace detail
 {
   template <std::size_t>
   struct return_arg_pos_argument_must_be_positive
-# if defined(__GNUC__) && __GNUC__ >= 3 || defined(__EDG__)
+# if defined(__GNUC__) || defined(__EDG__)
   {}
 # endif
   ;
diff --git a/include/boost/python/return_internal_reference.hpp b/include/boost/python/return_internal_reference.hpp
index acb89e6d..cc60f442 100644
--- a/include/boost/python/return_internal_reference.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/python/return_internal_reference.hpp
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ namespace detail
 {
   template <std::size_t>
   struct return_internal_reference_owner_arg_must_be_greater_than_zero
-# if defined(__GNUC__) && __GNUC__ >= 3 || defined(__EDG__)
+# if defined(__GNUC__) || defined(__EDG__)
   {}
 # endif
   ;
diff --git a/include/boost/python/to_python_value.hpp b/include/boost/python/to_python_value.hpp
index a48948d2..aaabb9cf 100644
--- a/include/boost/python/to_python_value.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/python/to_python_value.hpp
@@ -147,11 +147,6 @@ namespace detail
   template <class T>
   inline PyObject* registry_to_python_value<T>::operator()(argument_type x) const
   {
-      typedef converter::registered<argument_type> r;
-# if BOOST_WORKAROUND(__GNUC__, < 3)
-      // suppresses an ICE, somehow
-      (void)r::converters;
-# endif 
       return converter::registered<argument_type>::converters.to_python(&x);
   }
 
diff --git a/include/boost/python/type_id.hpp b/include/boost/python/type_id.hpp
index 7873a2f2..f22e5b9b 100644
--- a/include/boost/python/type_id.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/python/type_id.hpp
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 
 #  ifndef BOOST_PYTHON_HAVE_GCC_CP_DEMANGLE
 #   if defined(__GNUC__)                                                \
-    && ((__GNUC__ > 3) || ((__GNUC__ == 3) && (__GNUC_MINOR__ >= 1)))   \
     && !defined(__EDG_VERSION__)
 #    define BOOST_PYTHON_HAVE_GCC_CP_DEMANGLE
 #   endif
@@ -30,7 +29,7 @@ namespace boost { namespace python {
 // for this compiler at least, cross-shared-library type_info
 // comparisons don't work, so use typeid(x).name() instead. It's not
 // yet clear what the best default strategy is.
-# if (defined(__GNUC__) && __GNUC__ >= 3) \
+# if defined(__GNUC__) \
  || defined(_AIX) \
  || (   defined(__sgi) && defined(__host_mips)) \
  || (defined(__hpux) && defined(__HP_aCC)) \