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Quote by Hilary Mantel

“What [Margaret Thatcher] made a play for was the acquisitive: our greedy nature. She set aside other things like an identification with community, altruism. The only collective that she understood was: Rally around and slay the enemy.”

Quote by Hilary Mantel

Author

British author Hilary Mantel is renowned for her historical novels, particularly for her Thomas Cromwell series, which has earned her international acclaim. Mantel's works are celebrated for their profound insights and literary achievements. more

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“[Margaret Thatcher] said there was no thing such as society. This is what I find so interesting psychologically. Where did she come from? She had no mother. Her father came from a very identifiable background: religious, highly conformist.”

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“One of the ideals [Margaret Thatcher] grew up with was self-denial and postponement of gratification, and yet she went about to create a greedy, short-term society. It is a paradox.”

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“To me, Hillary [Clinton] looks alright. She looks like the kind of woman I admire. She doesn't seem to have distorted her essential nature.”

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“To a Brit of my generation, one of the most objectionable things about [Margaret] Thatcher is her falsity. She is a total construct. For one thing, she had a made-over accent.”

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“[Margaret] Thatcher could fake her class background, but she couldn't fake the quality of her mind.”

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“Every leader operates under the threat of assassination.”

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“I will get into trouble, I am sure, because since my Kate Middleton speech and before, certain papers were after me. I am not saying, however, that it would have been moral or right to assassinate Mrs. [Margaret] Thatcher, but I know it will be read that way. I know it will cause a problem.”

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“I do myself think that history is a set of skills rather than a narrative.”

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“When people begin to talk about "our island story" my hackles rise. It is deluded and conservative.”

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“I think if the monarchy were removed tomorrow, it wouldn't have a huge effect on the national mind-set.”

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