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Margaret Thatcher

Margaret Thatcher Quotes

Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Margaret Thatcher, born on October 13, 1925, was a former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Known for her strong political stance and reformist policies, she is one of the most influential political figures of the 20th century. Thatcher served as Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990, implementing a series of economic and social reforms that had a profound impact on the UK and the global political and economic landscape.

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Famous Margaret Thatcher Quotes

“Defeat? I do not recognize the meaning of the word.”

Powerful Defeat Iron Iron Lady

Author:Margaret Thatcher

“You turn if you want to. The Lady's not for turning.”

Ifs Want Turns Powerful Conservative Iron Iron Lady

Author:Margaret Thatcher

“There is no such thing as society, there is a living tapestry of men and women and the beauty of that tapestry, and the quality of our lives, will depend upon how much each of us is prepared to take responsibility for ourselves and to turn round and help, by our own efforts, those who are unfortunate. There's no such thing as entitlement unless someone has first met an obligation”

“I like Mr Gorbachev, we can do business together.”

War Together Can Do Business Cold Cold War Iron Lady Gorbachev

Author:Margaret Thatcher

“Economics are the method; the object is to change the soul.”

Soul Government Objects Economics Method Iron Lady

Book:As I said to Denis--: the Margaret Thatcher book of quotations

Source: As I said to Denis--: the Margaret Thatcher book of quotations

“My policies are based not on some economics theory, but on things I and millions like me were brought up with: an honest day's work for an honest day's pay; live within your means; put by a nest egg for a rainy day; pay your bills on time; support the police.”

Mean Pay Millions Support Honest Policy Theory Economics Police Bills Like Me Eggs Nests Rainy Rainy Day Iron Lady Being A Lady

Author:Margaret Thatcher

“A man may climb Everest for himself, but at the summit he plants his country's flag.”

Men May Country Plant Climbs Flags Summit Everest Iron Lady

Book:The collected speeches of Margaret Thatcher

Source: The collected speeches of Margaret Thatcher

“And what a prize we have to fight for: no less than the chance to banish from our land the dark divisive clouds of Marxist socialism.”

Fighting Dark Chance Land Clouds Socialism Prize Marxist Iron Lady

Book:As I said to Denis--: the Margaret Thatcher book of quotations

Source: As I said to Denis--: the Margaret Thatcher book of quotations

“We had to fight the enemy without in the Falklands. We always have to be aware of the enemy within, which is much more difficult to fight and more dangerous to liberty.”

Fighting Difficult Liberty Enemy Dangerous Conservative Iron Lady Enemy Within Falklands

Author:Margaret Thatcher

“I was asked whether I was trying to restore Victorian values. I said straight out I was. And I am.”

Trying Said Values Victorian Iron Lady

Book:As I said to Denis--: the Margaret Thatcher book of quotations

Source: As I said to Denis--: the Margaret Thatcher book of quotations

“When you've spent half your political life dealing with humdrum issues like the environment, it's exciting to have a real crisis on your hands.”

Real Hands Political Politics Half Issues Environment Exciting Crisis Environmental Political Life Iron Lady Humdrum Falklands

Author:Margaret Thatcher

“I came to office with one deliberate intent: to change Britain from a dependent to a self-reliant society - from a give-it-to-me, to a do-it-yourself nation. A get-up-and-go, instead of a sit-back-and-wait-for-it Britain.”

Giving Self Nations Waiting Office Get Up Britain Dependent Deliberate Do It Yourself Self Reliant Iron Lady

Author:Margaret Thatcher

“Ladies and gentlemen, I stand before you tonight in my … chiffon evening gown, my face softly made up, my fair hair gently waved, the Iron Lady of the Western world. Me? A Cold War warrior? … Well, yes — if that is how they wish to interpret my defense of values of freedoms fundamental to our way of life.”

“There is no week, nor day, nor hour, when tyranny may not enter upon this country, if the people lose their supreme confidence in themselves, and lose their roughness and spirit of defiance. Tyranny may always enter—there is no charm or bar against it.”

People Ifs May Country Spirit Hours Loses Week Supreme Bars Tyranny Charm Defiance Iron Lady Roughness Supreme Confidence

Author:Margaret Thatcher

“Gentlemen, if we don't cut spending we will be bankrupt. Yes, the medicine is harsh, but the patient requires it in order to live. Should we withhold the medicine? No. We are not wrong. We did not seek election and win in order to manage the decline of a great nation.”

Ifs Should Order Winning Nations Cutting Election Medicine Patient Spending Manage Gentleman Decline Harsh Great Nations Iron Lady

Author:Margaret Thatcher

“We will stand on principle or we will not stand at all.”

Principles Iron Lady

Author:Margaret Thatcher

“There's no such thing as society.”

Author:Margaret Thatcher

“I might have preferred iron - but bronze will do. It won't rust. This time I hope, the head will stay on.”

Might Iron Rust Bronze Iron Lady

Author:Margaret Thatcher

“I never hugged him, I bombed him.”

Author:Margaret Thatcher

“It's the Labour Government that have brought us record peacetime taxation. They've got the usual Socialist disease - they've run out of other people's money.”

People Government Running Records Disease Labour Usual Socialist Taxation Iron Lady

Author:Margaret Thatcher

“All attempts to destroy democracy by terrorism will fail. It must be business as usual.”

Democracy Failing Terrorism Usual Iron Lady

Book:The revival of Britain: speeches on home and European affairs, 1975-1988

Source: The revival of Britain: speeches on home and European affairs, 1975-1988

About the Author

Born: October 13, 1925
Died: April 8, 2013
Known for: Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Quotes: 512

Related Topics

Iron Lady Ifs People Government Men Believe Country States Europe Thinking World Britain Way Want Should War Political Politics Conservative Knows

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

As I said to Denis--: the Margaret Thatcher book of quotationsRelated source material

The collected speeches of Margaret ThatcherRelated source material

The revival of Britain: speeches on home and European affairs, 1975-1988Related source material

In defence of freedom: speeches on Britain's relations with the world 1976-1986Related source material

The path to powerRelated source material

Let our children grow tall: selected speeches, 1975-1977Related source material

Britain and Europe: Text of the Prime Minister's Speech at Bruges on 20th September 1988Related source material

CPC [publications].Related source material

Margaret Thatcher In Her Own WordsRelated source material

On EuropeRelated source material

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