Margaret Thatcher is one of the most famous politicians of the 20th century. Her activities as Prime Minister of Great Britain lasted 3 terms, which totaled 11 years. It was a difficult time - then the country was in a deep socio-economic crisis, England was called the "sick man of Europe." Margaret managed to revive the former authority of foggy Albion and to ensure an advantage in favor of the conservatives.
Thatcherism in politics
This term refers to attitudes that were characteristic of Margaret Thatcher in ideology, morality, and politics. She, when she was prime minister, tried to implement them.
Its main characteristic can be called "the right to inequality." The politician claimed that a person is characterized by a movement towards something good, better than what he has at the moment. Thatcher advocated free enterprise and initiative with the goal of gaining profit. However, at the same time, she condemned the "passion for money for money."
For “tetcherism, ” equality is a mirage. And the right to inequality, in turn, pushes a person to stand out, improving himself and improving the quality of his own life. That is why she did not condemn wealth, but rather, urged all citizens of the country to make efforts to increase it in order to further increase the standard of living.
Childhood
Margaret Thatcher (Roberts) was born in 1925 on October 13 in Grantham, not far from London in a northerly direction. Her family lived modestly, without excesses, one might say, ascetic for the way of life of the people of Western Europe. There was no running water in the house; amenities were also on the street. The family had two daughters, Muriel - the eldest, and Margaret - 4 years younger than her.
The eldest in everything was like a mother - Beatrice, the youngest was an exact copy of Alfred's father. She was known as his favorite, therefore, from early childhood, the parent began to instill in her all those qualities that later in her adult life helped her a lot and turned into a symbol of the era of conservatism in Great Britain of the 20th century.
At age 5, Margaret began taking piano lessons, and after 4 years she won the poetry competition. At the award, the principal said Margaret that she was very lucky, to which she replied: "This is not luck, it is a merit." From an early age, she grew up a debater, so she was a regular member of the discussion club and in the early years she answered full questions with answers that were posed, unlike her peers who “get off” with some interjections.
Father is ideal for Margaret
Alfred had a primary education, but was characterized by a craving for new knowledge, as a result of which he did not spend a day without reading. He planted this quality and his daughter. Together they went to the library and took two books for a week with the aim of reading them one by one.
It was his father who instilled in Margaret, a little girl, the quality of being different from everyone. He told her that a person should "lead", and not be "led." To do this, you had to work day by day, thinking about the future and about your position in society. Alfred repeated many times: you don’t need to act only because the rest do it.
Father was an ideal for her, little Margaret believed that he knew everything. Its characteristic feature was a thirst for knowledge. She had a craving for new information, experience. Margaret and her father attended council meetings, gaining a taste for politics, theatricality, and eloquence. Then she was 10 years old.
Margaret Thatcher for many years remembered her father's instructions, and walked with them through life. It was he who brought up in the child those foundations that the whole world today calls the capacious term "tetcherism."
Versatile education Thatcher
Growing up, Margaret remained as conservative as in early childhood. The reason for this was the views on the life of her beloved dad. He was a representative of Protestantism with all the ensuing consequences, in addition, a businessman-grocer. She never went to dances or to watching films, but she started working early in the warehouse of the Roberts family store, where she got acquainted with the basics of business and making a profit.
At the same time, she showed determination - in 4 years she learned the Latin language, for admission to the most prestigious women's college in Oxford - Somerville. Her roommate recalled that Margaret got up when it was still dark and was trying to learn something. The second course of study was difficult: she fell in love with the count’s son, but his mother brutally rejected the girl, saying that the daughter of a simple grocer was not a couple to her son.
The ambitious girl increasingly understood that politics was winning her soul. Margaret Thatcher actively participated in political debate and in these years joined the Conservative Association, and in 1946 became her first female president.
In 1947, she graduated from Oxford College with a bachelor's degree in chemistry. Immediately found a job as a researcher in celluloid plastics in Mannington.
In 1953, she received a law degree and for the next 5 years she mastered it in practice, having worked as a lawyer. A little later, she became a specialist in the field of taxation, having studied this industry perfectly.
Thus, the education of the future politician turned out to be quite versatile: she knew the basics of building a business, had perfect knowledge of legislation and taxes, besides that, she was well versed in scientific processes, and most importantly, Margaret Thatcher was carrying out reforms in those days when she was still far away from the prime minister’s chair.
Political debut
Oddly enough, but after graduation, Margaret knew very well where she would continue her studies - in Oxford. Why there? Yes, because all future British ministers studied at this educational institution. There she did not lose time in vain, joining the KAOU - Conservative Association of the University of Oxford. From this began her ascent to the political Olympus.
Even then, she had a desire to run for estate-representative body, but for this it was necessary to first become the president of KAOU. And Thatcher became him in 1946. This status began to take up a lot of time, she slept 3-4 hours a day. The moment came when she had to choose between politics and education - she chose the first. Therefore, it is not surprising that Margaret Thatcher, a formerly excellent student and student, defended her diploma “satisfactorily”, and she was awarded the 2nd class with a bachelor's degree.
Denis Thatcher - a guide to big politics
In 1948, Margaret's candidacy was approved for participation in the parliamentary elections, however, Laborites historically dominated in Dartford, because the city was an industrial one. Therefore, she lost her first election, but this further encouraged the woman to further active work.
At the same time, she met with Denis Thatcher (it is by the name of her husband that she is known throughout the world). In 1951, he proposed to her. The man was 33 years old, and he was a little older than her. Denis was a businessman and therefore could provide the young spouse with everything necessary. Now she could devote herself entirely to politics, and the reform Margaret Thatcher (Great Britain really needed them at that moment) had hatched for a long time.
The year 1953 became a “white" life period for her. The Thatcher couple had twins, and four months after that, Margaret passed the final exam and became a lawyer. Specializing in her practice, she chose the tax sphere, having studied it thoroughly, that politics will be very useful in the future.
Summing up the chapter, it must be said that Denis played a huge role in Margaret's political growth. It was after the wedding, she could completely surrender to her favorite business - politics.
The road to parliament
In the late 1950s, Margaret began to work on parliamentary elections with renewed vigor. The most difficult thing was to find a district from which you can run for election. She started from Kent, but there she became the second, which closed her way to parliament. In another district of the same county, the situation was similar. At the same time, in Finchley, the candidate refused to run for parliament. The work has begun! There were 200 applicants for this place. A written competition was held, according to the results of which 22 participants were selected. Then an oral presentation was held, after which only 4 candidates remained, including Margaret Thatcher. She was elected as a district candidate, which meant her actual election to parliament.
In 1959, she got into the English parliament - the path to big politics was open. That time was very unfavorable for the conservatives, difficulties began in the economy, Prime Minister Macmillan fell ill and resigned. And the parliamentary elections of 1964 "put" the conservatives on the bench of the opposition. And Margaret herself was appointed the shadow Minister for Housing in the same year.
Party leader
The 70s were difficult for the economy and domestic situation in the UK. In the post-war period, the country began to retreat in its development and was no longer even included in the top ten leaders, although it was always at the forefront.
In 1974, the question of choosing the head of the conservatives was raised. Margaret Thatcher nominated herself, becoming a rival for the current leader E. Heath. The election shocked him: out of 276 - 130 votes were cast in favor of Thatcher and only 19 for Heath, after which he withdrew. But instead, Margaret had new rivals. The most serious of which was Whitelaw. The second round of elections was held on 02/11/1975, which reflected the indisputable advantage of Thatcher: 146 elected representatives voted for her, while Whitelaw received 79 votes.
It was a very difficult time for the conservatives; they were twice defeated in the parliamentary elections, the number of party members fell sharply, and a party crisis ensued. It was clear that the party needed "new blood." And Thatcher, like no one, coped with this difficult mission.
The Iron Lady of British Politics Margaret Thatcher
She first became prime minister in 1979. These were difficult elections: until their end, no one was sure of the victory of the conservatives, but the final figures showed that 339 out of 635 seats in parliament were assigned to the conservatives. Margaret understood that now she would be able to realize the ideas that she had been carrying in her head for more than one year. A new era has begun in the political life of Great Britain.
Thatcher’s premiership period was very stressful: an economic and social crisis erupted in the country. The share of British industry in the world economy fell by a quarter after the Second World War. Enterprises suffered losses, wages decreased significantly. And entrepreneurs were forced to lower the quality of the product in order to reduce the cost. The economic crisis has already begun to develop into a political one, corrupting the country from the inside.
The tough hand and authoritarian regime of Margaret Thatcher helped Great Britain and the whole English people to feel the taste of victory and restore the former power of the state.
Margaret was always straightforward and firm in resolving issues at all levels. She fought fiercely with trade unions, “whiners” and parasites. Her rigidity repelled many, but nevertheless the majority followed after her because of this determination in solving problems. Therefore, she was twice re-elected as prime minister.
None of the prime ministers of the 20th century held this post for such a long time. She became a symbol of the whole era of the revival of Great Britain, being at the helm of the country.
Reforms and achievements of Thatcher
Margaret herself did not call herself a woman - she said: I am a politician, and the politician has no gender. She showed courage where he was not enough for men.
It was with her that the conflict in the Falkland Islands with Argentina was unleashed. Great Britain and specifically Thatcher showed her decisiveness in this matter by introducing troops there, after which the Argentine forces were forced to leave the islands. This little war was another Iron Lady political victory. By the way, the very nickname was given to her by the Russians. In their own country, Margaret was called much less poetically for her inexorable character, for example, “Taran” or “Armored Tank”.
It is interesting that it was under Thatcher that Britain came closer to the USSR, and M. Gorbachev and his wife were on a government visit in London. Margaret called her Soviet counterpart "Gorbi" and in many matters they were in solidarity, although there were differences.
Reforms initiated by the Iron Lady boiled down to three main tenets:
- tax reduction for big business;
- privatization of public sector facilities;
- significant decrease in payroll.
The latter, of course, was extremely unpopular among the bulk of people, but played a positive role in the fading economy of the country.
The Ulster problem was also important in those years. Margaret Thatcher showed deep political wisdom, calm, but at the same time remarkable resolve. She proposed granting Ulster (Northern Ireland) independence from England if the referendum showed that a large part of the population would vote for this decision. However, this was not destined to come true: as a result, Ulster is under the auspices of the United Kingdom to this day. It should be noted that the IRA (Irish Republican Army) even organized an attempt on the prime minister by detonating a bomb, but Margaret did not suffer, unlike other leaders of the conservative party.
