Margaret Thatcher
The Iron Lady
1925-2013
Early Life
• Thatcher’s father was a
grocer, preacher, and
local mayor.
• He was active in
Conservative politics.
• Young Margaret studied
chemistry at Oxford.
• She also studied law
and eventually became
a barrister.
Noblesse Oblige
• Class has been the biggest
CLEAVAGE or division in British
society / politics.
• Most of the British PM’s have
come from prestigious schools
like Oxford and Cambridge.
• Noblesse Oblige is the concept
that the upper classes (wealthy)
must look out for the lower
classes (poor).
• Welfare State
• Era of Collective Consensus
BackBencher
• First elected to Parliament in 1959 she slowly
rose through the ranks. PM’s who do not have
much actual power are often referred to as
Backbenchers.
• She entered the Shadow Government in 1967
which means she was becoming more
influential in her own party BUT that her party
(Conservatives) did not hold a majority.
• She took control of the Conservative Party
from Edward Heath in 1974.
1979 – First term as Prime Minister
Head of Government
• Britain’s economy was in a poor state.
• End of Collective Consensus Era and the
beginnings of PRIVATIZATION or
THATCHERISM.
• Stripped away government regulations and
subsidies. Many accused her of being a “union
buster”.
• Unemployment rose and inflation went up.
NHS
• The National Health
Service is a popular BUT
somewhat controversial
program in Great
Britain.
• PM Thatcher proposed
“scrapping” the whole
program but she faced
strong resistance even
from her own party.
Second Term - 1983
• The Conservatives won a large majority in the
General Election of 1983. This continued the
Tories control of government throughout most of
the 21st century.
• Thatcher was divisive but generally popular in the
UK. She often skewered the Labour Party or the
“Looney Left”.
• She forged a strong bond with Ronald Reagan
against the “evils” of Communism and the Soviet
Union.
Cold Warriors
Euroskeptic
• PM Thatcher was not a fan of full integration
with the rest of Europe.
• In particular she did not want to tie the UK to
a common monetary policy (Euro).
• Felt that the Parliament would lose
sovereignty. During her tenure the UK did not
fully integrate wit the rest of Europe.
The End
• Thatcher won a 3rd term of office in 1987.
• However her party had become deeply
divided over the EU and the Conservatives had
almost no support in the inner cities.
• With the economy worsening in 1989 she was
basically forced to resign under pressure from
fellow Conservatives.
• She died in London in 2013.