Margaret , nicknamed the “Iron Lady,” models a replica armored breastplate in 1978, around the time she became the United Kingdom’s first female prime minister. IRON AND By alan FEilEr METTLE boldly steered her nation on a new course

here’s a tense scene in the 2011 fi lm imagined, people felt Margaret Th atcher TTh e Iron Lady in which Margaret Th atcher, gave them the smack of fi rm government. ... as portrayed by Meryl Streep, is cautioned by U.S. You might dislike her, but you really felt she Secretary of State Alexander Haig against going to knew what she was doing.” war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands. Haig warns the British prime minister that the price dRiVen By conViction for the confl ict would be too high and politically Lady Th atcher was born Margaret Hilda risky, especially considering that the Falklands are Roberts, on Oct. 13, 1925, in , located thousands of miles from Great Britain. . Her father, Alfred, was a grocer, local Aft er noting that Hawaii is thousands of miles politician and lay Methodist minister. He was also from the continental United States but remains vital his daughter’s primary role model and hero, and to American interests, Streep’s Th atcher announces the family lived over ’ grocery store/ she will not bow to the Argentinean “criminals and post offi ce. He was known for being a champion of thugs” who invaded the British-controlled islands. small business and private enterprise. Sounding much like one of her predecessors, He was also heavily involved in Grantham , she proclaims, “We must stand politics, and his conservative social and fi scal on principle—or we will not stand at all.” views deeply aff ected Th atcher throughout her Th at simple, pithy-sounding line might political life. have summed up Margaret Th atcher’s general A bright, inquisitive girl, Th atcher early on perspective on life—personally, professionally and exhibited a strong work ethic, a deep fascination geopolitically—and serves as a reference point and with current events and an uncanny knack for inspiration for all aspiring leaders. Aft er all, she serving ably in leadership roles. At age 16, Th atcher didn’t acquire her nickname (from which the fi lm is developed a strong interest in chemistry. She titled) for nothing. applied to Oxford. “I regarded it as being quite Th atcher died recently at the age of 87 aft er simply the best,” Th atcher recalled, “and if I was suff ering a series of incapacitating strokes. But there serious about getting on in life that is what I was a time when the “Iron Lady” commanded the should always strive for.” world stage on a daily basis and was viewed (even In her third year of college, Th atcher became by detractors) as a paragon of towering strength and increasingly interested in campus politics. She steely determination, for preventing the decline of joined the Oxford Union Conservative Association the British Empire as well as for helping to bring and eventually became the group’s president. about the fall of Soviet-style communism. In 1947, Th atcher graduated with honors from “What people love is the smack of fi rm Oxford with a Bachelor of Science degree in government,” British writer and broadcaster Gyles chemistry. She then worked as a research chemist Brandreth said in the 2012 documentary Margaret for BX Plastics and also joined the Conservative Th atcher: Th e Iron Lady. “And whether it was real or Association in Colchester, Essex.

www.dixonva lve.co m s u mm e r 2013 4 BOss 17 Four years later, she was selected as a Conservative Party candidate. She lost, but as the youngest (and only female) candidate, Thatcher received a good deal of media attention. At a dinner soiree during that period, she met , a wealthy, divorced businessman. They married in December 1951. Denis Thatcher funded his wife’s law school studies, and in 1953 she qualified as a barrister specializing in taxation matters. That same year, she gave birth to their twins, Carol and Mark. Thatcher was elected a member of Parliament Not even the hectic, frenzied life for Finchley, North London, in 1958. of a young mother could keep Margaret Thatcher away from the political In that role, she became a controver- Thatcher is pictured here in October 1976, arena. In late 1955, she was narrowly sial figure when, attempting to cut a period when she served as leader of the defeated as a candidate. But in 1958, costs, she abolished free milk for some Conservative Party. she was selected as the Conservative schoolchildren, thus gaining the candidate for the town of Finchley sobriquet “Margaret Thatcher, Milk ready to compromise. She appeared to and was narrowly elected a member Snatcher” from the media. be strident, but ... she was a conciliatory of Parliament. “I learned a valuable lesson,” person. She had the style of a leader but “She was a convictions politician,” Thatcher wrote in her autobiography. the acumen of a politician.” said Gyles Brandreth. “Right from the “I had incurred the maximum of In the 1978–79 political campaign beginning, Margaret Thatcher was political odium for the minimum season, Thatcher and her Conservative a woman of convictions and drive, and of political benefit.” allies were highly critical of the Labour she was determined to find a seat.” But Thatcher continued to attract government’s unemployment record admirers, and she moved up the party and the role of trade unions in the ailing Rising Star ranks. In particular, her criticism of the economy. Thatcher was seen as an Slowly but methodically, Thatcher high tax policies of the Labour govern- agent of change, and her message worked her way up the Conservative ment—she branded them as steps “not against Britain’s socialist infrastructure Party leadership and learned the craft of only towards socialism, but towards touched a nerve, particularly with politics. “She was a formidable character communism”—resonated with many in middle-class voters. right from the beginning. She also had the Conservative leadership. In 1974, The Conservatives won a 44-seat good looks and charm, and wasn’t afraid she mounted a leadership challenge that majority in the House of Commons, to use both of those,” said Brandreth. defeated Prime Minister , and Thatcher became the United In the years between 1965 and 1970, her onetime mentor, and became leader Kingdom’s first female prime minister. Thatcher held numerous key positions of the Conservative Party. Arriving at on while the Tories were in the opposition. “She wasn’t a far right-wing figure, May 4, 1979, she referenced the Prayer In 1970, she was appointed secretary of especially in the early days,” said of St. Francis of Assisi, calling for a state for education and science. Brandreth. “She was someone who was sense of healing in her nation: “Where

Words for the Histor y Books… from Margaret Thatcher

Socialists cry ‘Power to the Popular capitalism is nothing “ people,’ and raise the clenched “ less than a crusade to enfranchise the many in the economic life fist as they say it. We all know of the nation. what they really mean — power ” over people, power to the State.” “Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.

18 BOSS 4 s u mm e r 2013 But in March 1984, Thatcher drew the wrath of many of her countrymen when she clashed with striking coal miners and trade unionists.Thatcher refused to meet the union’s demands for pay raises and the prevention of pit closures. The strike went on for a year and greatly hurt the British economy. But in the end, Thatcher emerged victorious as striking miners went back to work and the issues of pit closures and pay raises were virtually abandoned. Meanwhile, as Britain’s economy started to prosper (with the sale of state-owned industries and In 1987, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher with husband Denis stand at the back end of the the taming of inflation), Thatcher’s Conservative Party “battle bus” with its slogan “Moving Forward with Maggie” on the back stature in international affairs soared. window. The bus was touring London Docklands. With President Ronald Reagan, as well as the reform-minded Soviet there is discord, may we bring harmony. invasion, and much handwringing leader , she became Where there is error, may we bring and deliberation, Thatcher dispatched a leading figure in orchestrating the truth. Where there is doubt, may we British warships to retake the islands. end of the . bring faith. And where there is despair, Argentina surrendered on “They were kindred spirits,” may we bring hope.” June 14, 1982, and the victory— Brandreth said of the Thatcher-Reagan despite the deaths of 255 British alliance. “It was a partnership that ‘Mrs. Thatcher’s War’ servicemen, 649 Argentineans and really worked.” In the midst of the economic and three Falkland islanders—secured In June 1987, Thatcher became the social malaise in Britain, Thatcher Thatcher’s re-election the following first prime minister since 1820 to lead immediately took on austerity year, as well as her legacy. a party to three successive election measures, even insisting on frugality in “From June 14, 1982, right up victories. But with the rise of severe her official residence. She spoke out to her last week in office, Thatcher economic hardships, Thatcher became against trade unions and angered many dominated British politics as no one had a lightning rod for criticism among her in 1981 when talking about cuts in since Churchill,” writes John O’Sullivan colleagues and detractors. She was public spending during the recession. in his 2006 book, The President, the Pope castigated for becoming increasingly But the following year provided and the Prime Minister: Three Who autocratic, isolated and “over the top” Thatcher with her watershed moment. Changed the World. “She had the power in her dealings with cabinet members Argentina’s takeover of the Falklands and prestige to sustain a bold foreign and others. offered her a chance to demonstrate that and defense policy even against strong Thatcher endured several she lived up to the “Iron Lady” nick- opposition over the next eight years. ... challenges to her leadership of the name given her by her Cold War rivals, Thatcher gave an enormous boost to Conservative Party, only to prevail. the Soviets. Three days after the national morale.” But her approval ratings continued to “There can be no liberty unless there is economic liberty.” Imagine a Labour canvasser talking on the doorstep to those East German families when they settle in on “ freedom’s side of the wall. ‘You want to keep more of the money you earn? I’m afraid that’s very selfish. We shall want to tax that away. You want to own shares in your firm? We can’t have that. The state has to own your firm. You want to choose where to send your children to school? That’s very divisive. You’ll send your child where we tell you.’ ” Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.”

www.dixonva lve.co m s u mm e r 2013 4 BOSS 19 “fight on and fight to win,” Thatcher— is a lonely job,” Thatcher lamented in after consulting with her cabinet The Downing Street Years. “In a sense, and speaking with the Queen and it ought to be: You cannot lead from the other world leaders—announced her crowd. But with Denis there I was never resignation. She would remain bitter alone. What a man. What a husband. about what she considered her ouster What a friend.” from power. To her allies and supporters, “We leave the United Kingdom in Margaret Thatcher remained an iconic, a very better state than when we came heroic figure who restored Britain’s here 11 and a half years ago,” Thatcher economy, political structure, world said a bit tearfully when leaving stature and national pride. To her 10 Downing Street for the last time. critics, she was the embodiment of Thatcher remained a vital political British hubris, intransigence and On June 8, 2010, former British Prime Minister figure, working closely behind the divisiveness. But all would agree that Thatcher waves as she stands with British scenes for years. In 1993, she wrote her era of governance left its mark Prime Minister David Cameron, on the doorstep a best-selling book, The Downing Street on Britain forever. of 10 Downing Street. Years, about her tenure as prime Brandreth believes Thatcher would plummet as Labour ascended in minister. Two years later, she authored have been pleased with the acclaimed the polls. The Path to Power, chronicling her life film made about her life, starring Meryl In November 1990, the resignation leading up to being prime minister. She Streep. “She wasn’t vainglorious,” he said of deputy prime minister Geoffrey also toured the world as a lecturer until of Thatcher. “But she was aware of what Howe, the last remaining member of a series of strokes in 2002 forced her to she achieved, and that it was remarkable Thatcher’s original 1979 cabinet, give that up. and good. ... She was conscious of her sounded the death knell for her political The following year, Denis place in history.” career. Although initially vowing to Thatcher died. “Being Prime Minister HT-Series ISO 16028 Flushface Interchange No-Spill, Push-to-Connect Hydraulic Quick Disconnect Couplings

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