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Margaret Thatcher

Margaret Thatcher Quotes

Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

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Famous Margaret Thatcher Quotes

“But the whole history of America is quite different from Europe. People went there to get away from the intolerance and constraints of life in Europe. They sought liberty and opportunity; and their strong sense of purpose has over two centuries, helped create a new unity and pride in being American.”

PeopleTwoDifferentWholeAmericaPurposeOpportunityStrongLibertyCenturyPrideEuropeUnityGet AwayIntoleranceConstraints
Book:Britain and Europe: Text of the Prime Minister's Speech at Bruges on 20th September 1988
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“Socialism's results have ranged between the merely shabby and the truly catastrophic - poverty, strife, oppression and, on the killing fields of communism, the deaths this century of perhaps 100 million people. Against that doctrine was set a contrary, conservative belief in a law-governed liberty. It was this view which triumphed with the crumbling of the Berlin Wall. Since then, the Left has sought rehabilitation by distancing itself from its past.”

PeoplePastLawBeliefLeftResultsViewsLibertyPovertyMillionsCenturyFieldsWallKillingConservativeContrarySocialismDoctrineOppressionCommunismStrifeBerlinRehabilitationCrumblingShabbyBerlin Wall
Author:Margaret Thatcher
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“That nations that have gone for equality, like Communism, have neither freedom nor justice nor equality, they've the greatest inequalities of all, the privileges of the politicians are far greater compared with the ordinary folk than in any other country. The nations that have gone for freedom, justice and independence of people have still freedom and justice, and they have far more equality between their people, far more respect for each individual than the other nations. Go my way. You will get freedom and justice and much less difference between people than you do in the Soviet Union.”

PeopleWayStillsCountryIndividualNationsDifferencesJusticeGoneGreaterPoliticianOrdinaryIndependenceUnionsFolksPrivilegeInequalityCommunismMy WaySovietOther CountriesSoviet Union
Author:Margaret Thatcher
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“What? What am I 'bound to be feeling?' People don’t think anymore. They feel. 'How are you feeling? No, I don’t feel comfortable. I’m sorry, we as a group we’re feeling….' One of the great problems of our age is that we are governed by people who care more about feelings than they do about thoughts and ideas. Thoughts and ideas. That interests me. Ask me what I’m thinking.”

PeopleThinkingFeelsIdeasFeelingsProblemCareAgeAsksInterestGroupsComfortableSorryBoundsAsk MeI'm SorryWho CaresThoughts And Ideas
Author:Margaret Thatcher
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“Let us never forget this fundamental truth: the State has no source of money other than money which people earn themselves. If the State wishes to spend more it can do so only by borrowing your savings or by taxing you more. It is no good thinking that someone else will pay - that 'someone else' is you. There is no such thing as public money; there is only taxpayers' money.”

PeopleIfsThinkingStatesWishCan DoForgetPaySourceFundamentalsSavingNever ForgetTaxpayersSavingsBorrowingGood ThinkingPublic Money
Book:The revival of Britain: speeches on home and European affairs, 1975-1988
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“It has been suggested by some people in this country that I and my government will be a "soft touch" in the [European] Community. In case such a rumour may have reached your ears, Mr Chancellor... it is only fair that I should advise you frankly to dismiss it (as my own colleagues did, long ago). We shall judge what British interests are and we shall be resolute in defending them.”

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Author:Margaret Thatcher
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“We weren't getting a fair deal on the budget and I wasn't going to have it. There's a great strand of equity and fairness in the British people - this is our characteristic. There's not a strand of equity and fairness in Europe - they're out to get as much as they can. That's one of those enormous differences. So I tackled it on that basis.”

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Author:Margaret Thatcher
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“People constantly requesting government intervention are casting their problems at society. And, you know, there's no such thing as society. There are individual men and women and there are families. And no government can do anything except through people, and people must look after themselves first. It is our duty to look after ourselves and then, also, to look after our neighbours.”

PeopleKnowsMenFirstsLooksProblemGovernmentIndividualCan DoDutyMen And WomenCastingInterventionNeighbourGovernment InterventionIndividuals And Society
Author:Margaret Thatcher
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