Margaret Thatcher

'I stand before you tonight in my Red Star chiffon gown. My face softly made up and my hair waved. The Iron Lady of the Western world.'

23 Dec, 20244 min read

Margaret Thatcher, otherwise known as The Iron Lady or Baroness Thatcher, was the first woman prime minister of the United Kingdom. Not only was she the first woman to fill the role, she was also the prime minister who stayed in office for the longest time during the 20th century. Today, she is one of the most remembered and studied figures in politics. While some remember her quite fondly and dearly, some people dislike and even hate her. Whatever the case may be, it is evident that Thatcher's policies and herself as a person definitely had an impact on politics both inside and outside of the UK.

Thatcher was born in the year 1925. Her family lived in Grantham, Lincolnshire, where her father served as a local politician, mayor, alderman, and Methodist local preacher. With his father's influence, Margaret was raised as a strict Wesleyan Methodist. However, even if her family, particularly her father, was more on the religious side, Margaret was more sceptical towards religion and faith. She was more interested in science, which also reflected on her studies. During her education years, she was very active both in her school and in the place she lived in. She attended many extracurricular activities and volunteered locally as well. She had the reputation of the'star scientist' even before attending Oxford. In 1943, she was accepted into the Oxford chemistry program. Although she was an excellent student in the field of chemistry, Thatcher became interested in law and politics during her university years. After graduation, Thatcher continued her career as a chemist and published her first scientific article. While doing so, she also pursued her interest in politics. She joined conservative grassroots movements and gained herself some reputation within these circles.

Her early political career began in 1950. She was one of the youngest and exclusively female candidates, not only in the conservative sphere but among the politics of the age. Even though she wasn't able to secure herself a place in the British parliament in her early years, she was one of the key factors that heavily impacted the Labor Party dominance. Her influence and impact were also very well recognized within the Conservative Party, to the point that her candidacy for the office of prime minister was being discussed during this time despite her early age. However, Thatcher was rather pessimistic about this issue as she was a woman. Later on in 1970, she was appointed the Secretary of Education. It was with this office that Thatcher began receiving heavy criticism from the public and the Labor with her quick, decisive, pragmatic, and rather transformative actions. In 1975, when the Conservative Party leadership was in jeopardy due to economic issues of the time, Thatcher won the elections within the party to become its new leader and the leader of opposition as well.

After her victory within the Conservative Party, Thatcher was influenced by neoliberal ideals on the economy. She and many others believed that Keynesian economics and the British welfare state were not working and brought on more harm than benefits. The economy only worsened in the 70's. With the elections at the end of the decade, Thatcher became the first ever woman prime minister of the country. Even so, Thatcher herself told that it was more important to her that she was not the first woman prime minister, but rather the first woman with a science degree to hold the office. She would hold the office for 11 years. During her time in office, one of her main focuses was on reforming the British economy. To combat inflation and stagnation, Thatcher reorganized taxes, privatized institutions, and lessened the state's intervention. According to her, these were all necessary steps to combat the British welfare state, which was an extension of the socialist and even the communist ideologies. With her introduction of the poll tax at the end of her term, Thatcher received public backlash as unemployment was at an all-time high. In 1990, with one of the lowest approval rates, Thatcher resigned from her position. Even though her economic policies did prepare her resignation, it is debated that she was the figure behind Britain's economic growth as it began to recover after 1982. It is still debated that Britain's economy is still impacted by her. Even though that might be the case, many people remember her by the suffering she has inflicted upon individuals for over a decade with unemployment, social division, inequality, and her overall attitude and ideology. For further information and insight, please read 'The Downing Years', written by Thatcher herself regarding her time as the prime minister.