The death of the Iron Lady - a tragedy or ... a holiday? The Death of Margaret Thatcher: Is Alzheimer's Killing the Smartest? In recent years, Thatcher's health failed.
Biography and episodes of life Margaret Thatcher. When born and died Thatcher, memorable places and dates of important events in her life. politics quotes, Photo and video.
Life of Margaret Thatcher:
born October 13, 1925, died April 8, 2013
Epitaph
Let the fire not go out until the end
And the memory of the one will remain
What awakened hearts for life,
And now I have found eternal rest.
Biography
The whole world considered her an "iron lady", but she remained at home loving wife and mother, who lived with her husband in a happy marriage until his death. She ruled the whole country, but every evening she always cooked dinner for her husband, never resorting to the services of a personal chef.
Margaret Thatcher met her future husband at the very beginning of her political career - then she was still a graduate of Somerville College and was engaged in research in the field of chemistry. It was Denis who helped Margaret become a member of the bar association, and then get a law degree. It was he who supported all her political aspirations. The whole biography of Margaret Thatcher is the story of a working and purposeful woman, but perhaps it was the support of loved ones that played a decisive role in her success.
At 45, Thatcher was already Minister of Science and Education, but not all of her reforms found support in society. Nevertheless, she was able to win the 1979 election and become Prime Minister of Great Britain, the first woman to hold this post. But, as it turned out, Margaret could rule the country no less harshly, if not more than any man. For firmness in upholding her methods and views, she received the nickname "Iron Lady". At a time when society condemned her methods, Margaret led the country out of the crisis and returned her international prestige. One of Thatcher's quotes is: “I will stay until I get tired. And as long as Britain needs me, I will never tire." Nevertheless, in 1990, Margaret was forced to resign.
Thatcher survived her husband by 10 years and died of a stroke shortly after her operation. Thatcher died at the Ritz on April 8, 2013. Thatcher's funeral took place on April 17, she was buried in the cemetery of the military hospital in Chelsea, not far from the grave of her husband. At the end of her life, smart and powerful Thatcher suffered from dementia, but nevertheless she left behind a huge memory - the memory of an outstanding woman politician. Thatcher's biography has been written many times, many feature films and documentaries have been made about her.
The birth of children did not prevent Margaret Thatcher from building a political career
life line
October 13, 1925 Date of birth of Margaret Thatcher (nee Margaret Hilda Roberts).
1943-1947 Studying at Somerville College, Oxford University.
1951 The beginning of a political career.
December 1951 Marriage to Denis Thatcher.
1953 Birth of twins - daughter Carol and son Mark.
1970-1974 Minister of Education and Science.
May 4, 1979 The victory of Margaret Thatcher in the elections, the beginning of work as Prime Minister of Great Britain.
1985 Margaret Thatcher's visit to the USSR.
November 28, 1990 Departure of Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister of Great Britain.
June 26, 2003 Death of Thatcher's husband.
April 8, 2013 Date of death of Margaret Thatcher.
April 17, 20013 Funeral of Margaret Thatcher.
Memorable places
1. The house where Margaret Thatcher was born and where a memorial plaque to Thatcher is installed.
2. Somerville College, Oxford University, graduated from Margaret Thatcher.
3. Residence of the Prime Ministers of Great Britain, where Margaret Thatcher lived in 1979-1990.
4. The Ritz Hotel in London, where Margaret Thatcher died.
5. St. Paul's Cathedral in London, where the funeral of Margaret Thatcher took place.
6. Cemetery of the Royal Military Hospital in Chelsea, where Margaret Thatcher is buried.
Episodes of life
During her tenure as Minister of Science and Education, Margaret Thatcher became famous for her reform to abolish the issuance of free milk to schoolchildren from 7 to 11 years old. So Thatcher planned to cut spending on public schools. This caused great indignation in society, and Thatcher even received the nickname "milk thief". Later in her autobiography, Thatcher admitted: “I learned a valuable lesson. Incurred the maximum political hatred for the minimum political benefit.
Margaret Thatcher's husband was 11 years older than her and was already divorced at the time of the meeting with Margaret. Thatcher always said that without the support of her husband, she could not achieve anything. “To be prime minister is always to be alone. In a sense, this is how it should be: you cannot manage from the crowd. But with Denis by my side, I was never alone. Here is a man. Here is the husband. That's a friend!" Their relationship has always seemed perfect and, apparently, it was.
Margaret Thatcher was a happy wife and mother
Testaments
“The wealth of a country is not necessarily built on its own natural resources, it is achievable even in their complete absence. The most important resource is a person. The state only needs to create the basis for the flourishing of people's talent.
"It is impossible to understand everyone if you do not listen to everyone."
Documentary "Margaret Thatcher. Woman at war
condolences
“Today is a truly tragic day for our country. We have lost a great Prime Minister, a great leader and an Englishwoman with a capital P. Her legacy is that she not only faithfully fulfilled her duties, but also saved her country. And she did it with courage. People after tens and perhaps even hundreds of years will read about her actions and achievements. That's her legacy."
David Cameron, British Prime Minister
“She was an exceptional woman, unique in history, the only woman minister. During the ten years of her reign, economic difficulties, decline, all the problems of the 70s and 80s fell, but she changed, transformed the atmosphere. And what happened next - the success of the subsequent government - it happened only because of her actions.
Giscard d'Estaing, former President of France
"With the passing of Baroness Margaret Thatcher, the world has lost a great freedom fighter and America a true friend."
Barack Obama, US President
“She was an innovative leader who contributed to peace and security, especially during the height of the Cold War. Margaret Thatcher not only demonstrated her ability to lead, but gave great hope to many women for gender equality in Parliament. Her talent has inspired people around the world to work for peace, security and human rights."
Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary General
"It is with great sadness that Mark and Carol Thatcher announced that their mother, Baroness Thatcher, has passed away following a stroke this morning," spokesman Lord Tim Bell said.
Note that in 2002 she experienced several heart attacks. Thatcher was last hospitalized in 2010 due to an infectious disease. On the advice of doctors, several years ago, the ex-premier, who suffered a series of microstrokes, stopped participating in public events and withdrew from social and political activities.
For the first time in a long period, the ex-prime minister appeared in public in September 2011. In the same year, Thatcher drafted his own funeral ceremony.
Thus, the Iron Lady chose to renounce a number of state honors during the ceremony, in particular, the overflight of military aircraft and a civil memorial service with the participation of the general public.
In addition, at the funeral Cathedral St. Paul's should sound the music of the English composer Edward Elgar performed by the orchestra. According to Thatcher's will, the body should be buried in the cemetery of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea next to her husband Denis, who died in 2003.
II, accompanied by members of the royal family, as well as world figures of the era of Thatcher's premiership, including the first President of the USSR Mikhail, the widow of former US President Nancy Reagan and others, will have to take part in the farewell ceremony for the legend of British and world politics, accompanied by members of the royal family.
Recall that Thatcher was the only British woman prime minister. Reuters states that Thatcher's tough and outspoken style has led the Conservatives to three electoral victories.
She also has the longest uninterrupted period in the office of Prime Minister of Great Britain since the beginning of the 20th century - from 1979 to 1990.
Margaret Hilda Thatcher (years of life October 13, 1925 - April 8, 2013) - legendary person, the first woman politician in history to become the first Prime Minister in the European space.
The "iron lady", who received such a nickname due to her strong-willed character and tough management methods, is remembered in different ways. But no matter how severely condemned by her contemporaries, Thatcher had to make decisions for the fate of Great Britain in difficult times (crisis, war, the fall of the Berlin Wall, etc.).
Childhood and youth
The biography of the now famous Baroness is of extraordinary interest among people. For 12 years, Thatcher held such a high position in the country and turned out to be the longest Prime Minister in the history of the twentieth century.
The Childhood of Margaret Roberts maiden name) took place in the city of Grantham. There, Father Alfred Roberts ran a grocery store. After the label "daughter of a merchant" repeatedly interfered with her political career, but also helped to stand out among the crowd of officials.
In addition to Margaret, another girl named Muriel, the older sister, was brought up in the family. Alfred Roberts participated in local politics, helped in resolving issues of the religious community, was a member of the municipal council.
The girls in the Roberts family were brought up in strictness, which could not but affect their character, but their father was always their ideal. He was distinguished by deep knowledge in the field of economics and politics, read a lot and instilled a love of books in his children, visiting the local library with them. He took young Margaret to council meetings, which allowed her to learn eloquence and theatrics there.
Initially, the future Prime Minister studied at the city school on Huntingtower Road, but for her good academic performance she was awarded a scholarship to a special School for girls. Teachers considered the young lady a gifted, diligent student, but observed in her an ardent, arrogant disposition and a sharp tongue. Therefore, little Thatcher received a cheerful school nickname among her peers - "Maggie Toothpick".
Margaret devoted a lot of time to her studies, but at the same time she managed to play the piano and attend poetry courses. The girl loved to play field hockey and excelled in race walking.
In her final year of school, Maggie applied to Somerville College, Oxford University. Luck smiled at the girl, and she was admitted to the Faculty of Chemistry on a scholarship (1943). During her student years, Margaret worked in a research laboratory, and after that she also received a law degree at Oxford University.
Carier start
Margaret has shown interest in politics for a long time. In 1946, she was chairman of the University's Conservative Party Association. After graduating from high school, a young motivated girl moved to Colchester and joined the local association here.
Margaret kept in touch with friends from Oxford, one of them is the chairman of the Dartford Association in Kent. The team was looking for profitable candidates for the election, and Margaret received an offer to become one of the contenders. In January 1951, Thatcher received electoral status.
In honor of such an event, a dinner party was organized, at which Margaret Roberts met a man who radically changed the fate of a girl - businessman Denis Thatcher. The self-confident guy immediately drew attention to such an interesting person named Margaret and soon offered the girl a hand and a heart, realizing that she would not work as a housewife wife.
During the run-up to the election, the Iron Lady lived in Dartford and worked for a supplement research company.
Elections 1950-1951 to Parliament left an imprint on Margaret's future political career. The press immediately drew attention to the young representative and the only lady among the participants.
Political career
Before the post of prime minister, she had to go through a series of tests, try her hand at various positions. In 1955, a woman became a candidate for the Conservative Party, and in 1959 she won, becoming a member of the House of Commons.
The first public speech sounded like a challenge local authorities. Margaret demanded changes in the Laws, in the established principles of the Conservative Party.
Soon "Maggie Toothpick" gets the position of Parliamentary Undersecretary of Pensions, but after losing the game, he is involved in housing construction.
Two years later, Margaret reveals herself by criticizing the policies of the Labor Party, convincing the people and rulers that government control of prices and incomes is among the destructive methods for the UK economy. The woman caused resentment and shock among male officials, calling for voting for the legalization of abortion, the relaxation of certain points of divorce laws, tax cuts, the closure of unprofitable enterprises, and other harsh statements.
Thatcher admired the methods of US government, their principles and unique political philosophy. When, in 1967, she took a post at the US Embassy in London, new opportunities opened up for the future Prime Minister. Margaret met outstanding people, political players on the world stage and received another promotion.
In 1970, the Conservative Party again becomes "at the helm". As Minister of Education and Science, Thatcher had to learn some life lessons. The lady with an iron grip directed her efforts to save the state budget and became negatively famous among citizens by abolishing the rules on issuing milk to schoolchildren.
The media literally tore apart Thatcher, but this only strengthened her character. During this period, thanks to the decisions of Margaret, the closure of literacy schools began. And instead of them, a system of unified secondary education was introduced.
British Prime Minister
Despite her husband's health problems (cancer), Margaret Thatcher continues to build her own career, not devoting time to her family. She has a new idea - to become the head of the Conservative Party, which lost in the 1974 elections. The woman promised that the changes in the party statutes would be radical and successful, and in 1979 she stood on a pedestal, taking the post of Prime Minister of Great Britain.
The "Iron Lady" got control in difficult years for the country: the economic crisis, inflation, strikes, unemployment, military operations in the Falkland Islands. The process of reform was inevitable, and Thatcher had to make super tough decisions in order to achieve the prosperity of the state.
The Prime Minister made a profitable bet by establishing relations with the British colonies in Africa, and strengthened the country's position in the region.
In 1984, an assassination attempt was organized by the Irish republican army. As a result, five innocent people died, and Thatcher and her husband managed to escape.
Thatcher on Russia
Margaret Thatcher paid special attention to the foreign policy of her native state. She believed that Great Britain should be at the head of solving global issues among other countries, having received the status of a great power.
Occupying a high position, Thatcher spoke negatively about the principles of the behavior of the Soviet Union, accusing the Russians of wanting to dominate the world, taking into account the cost of arming their country.
Margaret was one of those politicians who wanted to "destroy" the mighty Soviet Union. She helped me find someone who could do the job. They became, whom Thatcher experts described as a careless and ambitious person.
Even before Gorbachev was appointed to the post of general secretary, he was invited to the UK, arranging a "royal ball" there. The Lady Premier sought Mikhail's favor in various ways for selfish purposes.
After Thatcher provided undisguised support, placing a bet on him. When the Chairman Supreme Council was elected, literally immediately there was a signing of a declaration on the sovereignty of Russia.
Resignation
Thatcher made a significant contribution to the history of the country, holding the post of Prime Minister, but at the same time she had a low level of trust and support of the British. However, Thatcher did not care much about ratings and popular polls. " The Iron Lady also ignored the positions and opinions of her party colleagues.
This approach to people led to disagreements in the team, which subsequently wished to oust Margaret from her position. And in 1990, the majestic lady was forced to retire. Came in her place new person- John Major.
Two more years after the resignation of Thatcher was a member of the House, but after that she decided to leave Parliament altogether. She was then 66 years old.
A woman with a big name found herself in writing, published several books, memoirs, but it was difficult to call her a calm pensioner. Margaret never hid her beliefs, continued to criticize the authorities, the government and accuse some politicians of inaction.
Personal life
Margaret married in 1951. Marriage with Denis Thatcher was considered prudent by acquaintances, because the businessman helped her in promoting her career as a politician. But, despite the envious statements of people, the couple lived a long family life, raising two children in marriage - Mark and Carol.
Denis understood the costs of the profession and remained a good friend and faithful husband to Margaret. In 2003, the woman buried her husband, after which her health deteriorated.
Death
Funeral of Margaret Thatcher In 2012, the former leader of the Conservative Party faced a serious illness, underwent surgery, her health deteriorated every day. Margaret periodically visited a psychiatrist, because. Before her death, she suffered from hallucinations and insanity.
On April 8, 2013, the great political personality died. She was buried next to her husband in a cemetery in the city of Chelsea.
- In 1992, Margaret Thatcher was honored with the title of baroness, granted to her by the Queen of Great Britain.
- Margaret's style of government is marked in history as a period of "Thatcherism".
- In 2009, the feature film "Margaret" about the life of the famous politician was released, and in 2011 - "The Iron Lady", which won the Oscar.
- Margaret was inspired to pursue a political career by the book The Road to Slavery by the writer Friedrich von Hayek.
- In 2007, Thatcher installed a monument (bronze sculpture) in the British Parliament.
Quotes
"I owe everything in my life to my father, and it's extremely interesting, because the things that I learned in a small town, in a very modest family - these are the very things that, I think, helped to win the election."
"The European Union cannot in principle be a 'democratic' structure: attempts to achieve this illusory goal actually lead to further infringement on poor countries..."
"It doesn't matter how much my ministers talk, as long as they do what I say."
"Europe was made by history. America by philosophy."
"If you want to discuss something - go to a man, if you really want to do something - go to a woman."
ALL PHOTOS
"I will stay until I get tired.
And while Britain needs me
I will never get tired."
(M. Thatcher)
Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher has died in the UK, Reuters reports. The Iron Lady has passed away at the age of 87. Flags have already been flown at half mast on British government buildings.
"This is a great loss, Mark and Carol Thatcher reported that their mother, Baroness Thatcher, died of natural causes as a result of a previous stroke this morning," a spokeswoman for the deceased told Sky News. According to ITAR-TASS, Margaret Thatcher had a stroke. AT last years she suffered from Alzheimer's disease.
Cameron is in Madrid, where he is consulting with the Spanish government on EU reform. From there, he was supposed to fly to Paris, however, according to Reuters, citing Cameron's official representative, the head of the cabinet decided to interrupt his trip. He will return to London in the next few hours.
A BBC correspondent reports that flowers are being brought to her home in London's Belgravia as a mark of respect for Thatcher's memory. Flags have already been flown at half mast on the buildings of British government agencies, Interfax reports.
Margaret Thatcher was the 71st Prime Minister of Great Britain, she held this post from 1979 to 1990 and was the first and only woman in history to head the British government.
Recent years - struggle with senile dementia
Starting in 2002, Margaret Thatcher's health deteriorated significantly, and she gradually withdrew from public and political activities. Ten years ago, Thatcher suffered a series of minor strokes and doctors advised her to stop public speaking, according to the BBC Russian Service.
The ex-premier's daughter, Carol Thatcher, published a book in 2008 in which she spoke about her mother's struggle with senile dementia.
For health reasons, the "Iron Lady" this summer was unable to attend a gala dinner in honor of former prime ministers, which Queen Elizabeth II gave in honor of the 60th anniversary of her reign.
Two years ago, Prime Minister David Cameron gave a reception at 10 Downing Street in honor of Margaret Thatcher's 85th birthday, but then she also could not attend the celebration.
Before Christmas, it was reported that Margaret Thatcher was hospitalized and operated on: she had a bladder tumor removed. The operation was simple, Thatcher's relatives reported that "the doctors are satisfied."
Thatcher planned her exit
Representatives of Prime Minister Cameron said that Margaret Thatcher asked not to give her a state funeral. For several more years, the British media wrote that Margaret Thatcher had given orders for her own funeral. The ceremony has been planned since 2007, since any events in which the Queen takes part require advance preparation.
So, Thatcher wished that access to the coffin was open only to her relatives, specially invited persons and MPs. Among those invited should be Queen Elizabeth II, members of the royal family, as well as the largest political figures of the era of her premiership.
The funeral will take place at London's St. Paul's Cathedral. According to Thatcher's last will, the orchestra will have to play selected works by the English composer Edward Elgar. The victory over Argentina in the Falklands conflict in 1982 gives the former prime minister the right to be buried with military honors, but the baroness asked to remove the flight of the squadron from the ceremony.
Thatcher will be buried at the cemetery of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea, next to her husband Denis, who died in 2003.
Iron Lady: how chemist Roberts became Prime Minister Thatcher
Margaret Roberts was born on October 13, 1925 in Grantham in the East of England. After school, she entered Somersville College, Oxford University, where she did research in practical chemistry.
In 1946 she became chairman of the Oxford University Conservative Party Association. After graduation, Roberts moved to Colchester, Essex, where she worked for BX Plastics.
At Colchester, she joined the local Conservative Party association and became a spokesperson for her university's Conservative Alumni Association.
In 1951, Margaret married businessman Denis Thatcher, and two years later received a law degree and worked as a lawyer for five years. In 1950, she ran for parliament for the first time, but the first attempt was unsuccessful. However, Thatcher attracted attention as the youngest candidate and the only woman to run in the constituency.
In 1959, she once again entered the race for a seat in Parliament in the wealthy London suburb of Finchley and won. In 1961, Prime Minister Harold MacMillan recognized Thatcher's abilities and appointed her Joint Parliamentary Secretary for Pensions and National Insurance. In 1967, Conservative leader Edward Heath appointed her as Shadow Cabinet Minister for Gas, Electricity and Nuclear Energy, and a little later as Secretary of Transportation, Education and Science. When Heath became prime minister in 1970, Thatcher became the only female member of his cabinet, gaining the post of minister of education and science.
When the Conservative Party suffered two defeats from Labor in 1974, against the backdrop of declining support for the party among the population, Thatcher entered the struggle for the position of party chairman. In the 1975 presidential election, Thatcher defeated Heath in the first round of voting. In the second round, she defeated William Whitelaw, who was seen as Heath's most preferred successor, and on February 11, 1975, she officially became chairman of the Conservative Party, appointing Whitelaw as her deputy.
According to biographers, it was then, and not during the years of premiership, that the nickname "Iron Lady" was assigned to her. In 1976, Thatcher made a strong criticism of the Soviet Union in one of her public speeches as head of the Conservatives. She said, in part: "The Russians are set on world domination, and they are rapidly acquiring the means necessary to become the most powerful imperial state the world has ever seen. The men in the Soviet Politburo need not worry about the rapid change in public opinion. They chose guns over butter, while for us almost everything else is more important than guns." In response to this, the newspaper of the USSR Ministry of Defense, Krasnaya Zvezda, called Thatcher an "iron lady". The Sunday Times newspaper translated this turnover as Iron Lady, and another translation into Russian resulted in the "iron lady".
The Conservatives built their campaign promises around economic issues, arguing for the need for privatization and liberal reforms. They promised to fight inflation and work to weaken the unions, since the strikes they organized caused significant damage to the economy.
On May 3, 1979, the Conservatives confidently won, receiving 43.9%, and on May 4, Thatcher became the first woman Prime Minister of Great Britain. In this position, Thatcher launched a vigorous effort to reform the British economy and society as a whole.
Thanks to harsh and unpopular measures in the economy and social sphere The country has achieved stable economic growth. Foreign investments contributed to the modernization of production and increase the competitiveness of manufactured products. At the same time, the Thatcher government managed to keep inflation at a very low level for a long time. In addition, by the end of the 1980s, thanks to the measures taken, the unemployment rate was significantly reduced.
In April 1982, the prime minister responded decisively to the Argentine army's invasion of the Falkland Islands by immediately sending a naval squadron to the archipelago. On June 14, Argentina capitulated.
In the parliamentary elections of 1983, the Thatcher-led Conservatives received the support of 42.43% of the voters, while the Labor Party received only 27.57% of the vote. In 1987, the Conservatives won again, receiving 42.3% of the vote against 30.83% for Labor.
Her foreign policy was aimed at strengthening the role of the United Kingdom on the world stage, which, in her opinion, has noticeably weakened during the years of the Labor leadership of the country. She found a close friend in US President Ronald Reagan, who shared many of her views on the economy, and unexpectedly entered into an alliance with Mikhail Gorbachev.
During her third premier term, Thatcher introduced a reform of taxation, the proceeds of which went to the budgets of local governments: instead of a tax based on the nominal rental value of a house, a so-called "poll tax" was introduced, which had to be paid by every adult resident of each house.
The reform of the tax system became one of the most unpopular measures during Thatcher's premiership. On March 31, 1990, public discontent resulted in large demonstrations in London, in which about 70,000 people took part. The demonstrations in Trafalgar Square eventually turned into riots in which 113 people were injured and 340 arrested.
Opinion polls indicated that her popularity was below that of the Conservative Party. However, the self-confident Thatcher always insisted that she had little interest in various ratings, pointing to record support during the parliamentary elections. However, the ratings, as well as the belligerent personality of the prime minister and her disregard for the opinions of her colleagues, caused disagreements within the Conservative Party, which eventually got rid of Margaret Thatcher herself.
At first, she intended to continue the fight to the bitter end in the second round of the election of the party leader in 1990, but after consultations with the cabinet, she decided to withdraw from the elections. After an audience with the Queen and a closing speech in the House of Commons, Thatcher resigned as prime minister. She considered her removal from office a betrayal.
The post of Prime Minister of Great Britain and chairman of the Conservative Party passed to John Major, at the head of which the Conservative Party managed to win the 1992 parliamentary elections.
After leaving the premiership, Thatcher was a member of the House of Commons for Finchley for two years. In 1992, at the age of 66, she decided to leave parliament, which, in her opinion, gave her the opportunity to more openly express her opinion on certain events.
Thatcher received the title of Baroness of Kesteven (this is a place in her native Lincolnshire), and in 1995 - the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the highest order of chivalry in Great Britain, whose cavaliers at any given time cannot be more than 25 people, including the monarch. Only in 2001, when her health began to fail, did Baroness Thatcher begin to curtail her political activities.
Thatcher's premiership was the longest in the 20th century. For her supporters, she forever remained a political figure who was able to restore the British economy, deal a significant blow to trade unions and restore Britain's image as a world power. However, the unwillingness to compromise on fundamental issues made Thatcher a very controversial figure, and dissatisfaction with her policies and her style of management led over time to a revolt even in the ranks of her own party.
Many believe that the quintessence of Margaret Thatcher's philosophy can be found in a magazine interview she gave in 1987, BBC Russian Service writes.
"I think we've gone through a period where too many people have been told 'I have a problem and it's up to the government to deal with it' or 'I have a problem and I need to get funds to deal with it'," I'm homeless, the government should put me somewhere" - and they shifted their problems to society, but society - who is it? It does not exist! There are individual men and women, there are families, and no government can do anything without people, and people should think of themselves." "Our duty is to take care of ourselves and help take care of our neighbors," Margaret Thatcher said at the time.
The role of Thatcher in the history of Russia
Margaret Thatcher is famous in Russia much more than other British politicians. And so far in our country there are several myths associated with her name back in the days of the Soviet Union. Here are just a few of them.
When in the UK the BBC showed the third part of the Soviet television series about Sherlock Holmes, where Vasily Livanov starred as the great detective, Thatcher, who watched this picture, said in an interview with a British newspaper that of everything she had seen, "Russian Holmes is the most best".
In the late 1980s, Thatcher, speaking about the economic prospects of the USSR, allegedly stated that "on the territory of the USSR, the living of 15 million people is economically justified." However, historians cannot find this phrase in any documents.
But those documented facts related to Thatcher's activities in relation to the USSR prove that her role and influence on our country are really great. Relations between the USSR and the West in the 1980s were extremely tense. And her personal attitude to Soviet state was complex and controversial.
For example, responding to Alexei Kosygin, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, to a greeting on the occasion of her accession to the post of prime minister, Thatcher wrote that she shared his hopes for the development of relations between countries, and even expressed England's interest in developing economic ties with the USSR. But from the second half of 1979 there was a turn to the Cold War. The ratification of the Soviet-American SALT-2 treaty began to be delayed. The Thatcher government began to express fears that this treaty would weaken US guarantees regarding the security of Western Europe. And in the fall of 1979, Thatcher announced that one could only talk with the USSR from a position of strength.
Input Soviet troops to Afghanistan only exacerbated this attitude of the Prime Minister of Britain towards the USSR. The British government recalled the ambassador from Kabul, severed all ties with Afghanistan and called on the members of the EEC and NATO to impose sanctions against the USSR, qualifying this as an act of aggression. On December 29, 1979, Thatcher sent an official protest to the leadership of the USSR, announcing a review of all relationships. Soviet-British cooperation was curtailed in all areas.
In London in 1981, Prime Minister Thatcher declared that the Soviet Union was the "major threat" to the Western way of life.
The events in Poland in 1981 became the next stage in the discord in relations between Great Britain and the USSR. In April, Thatcher issued a "warning" to Moscow about a "possible invasion of Poland", noting that it "would be a disaster for the Soviet Union as well as for Poland" and NATO sanctions would follow immediately.
When Yury Andropov, General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, suggested that the US and the West agree on a reduction of intermediate-range missiles in Europe by about 25%, Thatcher reacted negatively, saying that Britain would not agree to this, and ruled out the possibility of Britain participating in the strategic arms reduction process.
In early 1983, Thatcher called for the West to achieve military superiority over the USSR. Her government has taken a course on the deployment of US cruise missiles in Western Europe.
In 1983, on the initiative of Thatcher, the congress of the International Democratic Union (IDU) was convened in London. In her opening speech, Thatcher called for the unity of anti-communist forces against the USSR.
However, under pressure from business circles in England, the Thatcher government still showed interest in developing trade and economic relations with Soviet Union. In February 1984, Thatcher made the extraordinary decision to fly to Moscow to attend the funeral of Yuri Andropov and meet the new Soviet leader, although until that moment no British politician had even expressed condolences on his death.
At a meeting with the new Secretary General of the Central Committee of the CPSU Konstantin Chernenko, Margaret Thatcher said that she wanted to build new relations with the USSR and made it clear that England had a very a good relationship with the United States, and for herself - with Reagan, who listens to her opinion.
Thatcher's visit to Moscow was followed by an invitation to England for a delegation of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR headed by Politburo member of the CPSU Central Committee Mikhail Gorbachev. After meeting with the future president of the USSR, Thatcher said: "I like him. We can deal with each other." The results of this visit were highly appreciated both in Great Britain and in the USSR; they opened a new phase in relations between the two countries.
In March 1985, Thatcher again visited Moscow, at the funeral of Chernenko. Then she met again with Gorbachev. Soviet-British relations began to develop faster on a number of issues, in particular, the elimination of chemical weapons, the prevention of incidents at sea, the settlement of financial and property claims, and so on.
In March 1987, Thatcher was again in Moscow, where Gorbachev outlined to her the Soviet program to create a system of universal security, to reduce and completely eliminate nuclear weapons. But Thatcher was always of the opinion that if there were no nuclear weapons, then the world would be overwhelmed by world wars, and nuclear forces would deter enemies. Her now widely known expression is: "A world without nuclear weapons would be less stable and much more dangerous for all of us."
In the same 1987, Thatcher met with Gorbachev again, approving the signing of the treaty on the elimination of intermediate and shorter range missiles (INF). She supported the "perestroika" announced by Gorbachev, considering it a collapse. socialist system. But she continued to believe that the foreign policy of the USSR was aimed at weakening and dividing the West.
"Winged" expressions of Margaret Thatcher
Many phrases uttered at one time by Margaret Thatcher are now widely known and have long become aphorisms.
- "Marx and Spencer" (a large trading network in Britain) defeated Marx and Engels.
All men are weak, and gentlemen are the weakest.
90% of our worries are about things that will never happen.
To win a battle, it sometimes has to be given twice.
Without economic freedom there can be no other freedom.
The rooster may be a good crow, but the hen still lays the eggs.
Politeness is valued more and more today, impudence has no price at all.
You need to study your enemy well, then one day you can turn him into a friend.
Making up my impression of a person in the first 10 seconds, I very rarely change it.
A world without nuclear weapons would be less stable and much more dangerous for all of us.
I will stay until I get tired. As long as Britain needs me, I will never tire.
Democratic nations must learn to shut off the terrorists the oxygen they need.
If a woman shows character, they say about her: "A harmful woman." If a man shows character, they say about him: "He is a good guy."
The wealth of the country is not necessarily built on its own natural resources, it is achievable even in their complete absence. The most important resource is a person. The state only needs to create the basis for the flourishing of people's talent.
There is only one way to be a leader: this is when the leader goes into voluntary slavery to those who are led, and not vice versa. If even one-hundredth of claims for any advantage over them or privileges appears in his behavior, then sooner or later these 0.01 grow into suppression, despotism and tyranny.
