Yesterday, Margaret Thatcher, the Iron Lady, died at the age of 87. Former Prime Minister of Great Britain died after suffering from a stroke. The announcement was made by Ms. Thatcher’s spokesperson Lord Bell with reference to her children Mark and Carol who announced “that their mother Baroness Thatcher died peacefully following a stroke this morning.”
Literally several minutes after the news reached the Buckingham Palace it was reported that Queen Elizabeth mourns over Thatcher’s death. Prime Minister David Cameron cut his European trip after hearing about Thatcher’s death and called her a great leader, prime minister, and great Briton.
In fact, Thatcher, who became the first female prime minister in Great Britain, put herself on record not only in her country, but also in the world. Thatcher, who came to power in 1979, transformed the British political stage. She was considered one of the most influential and recognized British leaders of present day on the international arena.
Thatcher’s first attempt to start a real political career (in 1950 she was a Conservative candidate to parliament) failed, although in her country Conservators had a more than 50 percent advantage. Only in 1959 was Thatcher first elected to Parliament as a candidate for Finchley. She was appointed Parliamentary Undersecretary at the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance in Harold Macmillan’s administration.
In 1967 Thatcher was included in the Shadow Cabinet. Under Edward Heath, who was prime minister in 1970-74, Thatcher was Secretary of State for Education and Science, being the only female MP. Although in 1975 Conservators lost in the elections, Thatcher stayed in parliament under the liberal government.
In February 1975 Thatcher became the leader of the Conservative Party. Over the years of being a Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher won the reputation of an “iron lady”: in her Cabinet the whole work was based on clear-cut hierarchy, accountability, and high personal responsibility; she was an ardent supporter of monetarism, restriction of trade unions’ activity with the help of strict legal framework. Over 11 years of working as the head of the British Cabinet she carried out a number of economic reforms, initiated privatization of the sectors of traditional state monopoly (air company British Airways, gas giant British Gas, and TV communication company British Telecom), and supported increase of taxes.
Third term in office was the hardest for Margaret Thatcher. In the end of her rule she spread her harsh policies on social sphere – she encouraged private education and implementation of paid medicine. Her firm position concerning contradictory economic questions in 1990 was disliked by and outraged many of her supporters. For instance, the “iron lady” offered to implement a poll tax and categorically opposed to Great Britain’s membership in the European Monetary System. After carrying out a number of unpopular measures there was nothing left for her but to quit. In November 1990 Margaret Thatcher announced about her voluntary resignation in the name of unity of the party and prospect of victory in general elections.
After Margaret Thatcher left the political arena the term “Thatcherism” emerged, which stands for a political philosophy consisting in persistent and steadfast following the chosen course, in spite of criticism, discontent, and resistance of the surrounding people.
