Margaret Thatcher on Defeating Socialism

Reaganite Republican ^ | February 19, 2011 | Reaganite Republican

[Reaganite Republican]

"Trying to cure the British disease with socialism 

was like trying to cure leukemia with leaches"

Much like close friend and fellow happy-warrior Ronald Reagan, British PM Margaret Thatcher loved to take on her liberal opponents... and had a lot of fun doing it. The House of Commons' raucous debate atmosphere also provided an ideal platform that often had Lady Thatcher at her very, very best. 

But also as Reagan did, the Iron Lady respected historical precedent... and knew what she was talking about: Thatcher proved it by turning her country around almost single-handedly, establishing an opportunity society that rejected socialist malaise while rewarding performers...
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"There can be no liberty unless there is economic liberty.

People think that at the top there isn't much room. They tend to think of it as an Everest. My message is that there is tons of room at the top.

No-one would remember the Good Samaritan if he'd only had good intentions; he had money as well.

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.

The trouble with socialism is, eventually you run out of other people's money.

To cure the British disease with socialism was like trying to cure leukaemia with leeches.

Socialists cry "Power to the people", and raise the clenched fist as they say it. We all know what they really mean—power over people, power to the State.

Pennies do not fall from heaven... they have to be earned here on earth

My job is to keep Britain from going red " 

This clip comes from Margaret Thatcher's last day as Prime Minister in the British House of Commons- November 22, 1990. In it, a couple of the socialists see the need to take a parting shot, so she -one last time- crushes them like a bug... some boys just never learn:

"Thatcher's Last Stand Against Socialism" [video]

But in-addition to a firmly held set of pro-market, pro-liberty, and anti-communist beliefs/guiding principles based upon lessons of history and common sense, both Reagan and Thatcher possessed the primary human quality required for success in any substantial endeavor: dogged perseverance until victory- there's surely a vital lesson in that for TEA Party patriots fighting socialism in America today:

____________________________________________________

"I can't bear Britain in decline... I just can't

If you just set out to be liked, you would be prepared to compromise on anything at any time, and you would achieve nothing.

To me, consensus seems to be the process of abandoning all beliefs, principles, values and policies. So it is something in which no one believes and to which no one objects.

There are still people in my party who believe in consensus politics. I regard them as Quislings, as traitors... I mean it.

People tell me I shouldn't gloat... well, I am gloating 
(over her victory in the UK Miner's Strike)

If my critics saw me walking over the Thames, they would say it was because I couldn't swim.

Defeat—I do not recognise the meaning of the word!

It is a great night. It is the end of Socialism
(upon learning results in the 1992 UK general election)

I fight on... I fight to win" 

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"The Lady's not for turning" [video]
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Have a great weekend, FReeper patriots...


More at Reaganite Republican

[scooby321]

What a leader.

Then we have Obama and his signature is forcing a health care program his nation doesn't want.

Everything he has done is an utter failure.

[samtheman]

great post

[screaminsunshine]

We have no opposition to it. The Repubs are turning out to be a big joke. I am going in to survival mode. There is no chance to stop it with the Republican Party.

[Senator John Blutarski]

Is Sarah Palin America’s Margaret Thatcher ?

[Reaganite Republican]

Thanks Sam- much obliged

[Starboard]

The trouble with socialism is, eventually you run out of other people's money.

Perhaps Thatcher's most notable quote, an admonition we are seeing play out right here in the USA. A wonderful weekend post. THANKS!

[ken5050]

If you admire The Iron Lady, as I do, may I suggest a MUST-READ,,Claire Berlinski’s “ Why Margaret Thatcher Matters”..wonderful book..also, a few months ago, the author did a long interview with National review. The video clips should be on their website..try search..

[Reaganite Republican]

You got it, same to you SB

[Reaganite Republican]

Sounds good Ken- I need to check that out for sure

[the invisib1e hand]

Bumpus Maximus!

[the invisib1e hand]

No. She is America’s Sarah Palin. There will never be another Margaret Thatcher.

[Jim Noble]

Thatcher on defeating socialism

Thatcher (and Reagan) failed.

Pinochet and Suharto succeded.

Word.

[Reaganite Republican]

Good point...

[Christian4Bush]

bump

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Reaganite Republican.

Socialists cry "Power to the people", and raise the clenched fist as they say it. We all know what they really mean -- power over people, power to the State.

[antonico]

“No. She is America’s Sarah Palin. There will never be another Margaret Thatcher.”

Agree. It's hard for a lot of Americans to understand just exactly what Margaret Thatcher was up against when she was elected Prime Minister in 1979. The Trade Unions had successfully destroyed the 2 preceding governments, one Conservative and one Labour. It was far worse there then than it is here now. Great Britain had entire industries nationalized, not just one business within an industry owned by the government. British Telecom, British Airways, British Steel..all forms of energy..every industry was owned and operated by the government. Up until 1984 there was only one source for a phone line, and in fact one source for an actual telephone: the government, and often you had to wait months for a phone. Since every industry was owned by the government, every “trade” had a union. Most powerful of all at the time was the NMWU, The Coal Miners Union. They could literally bring the entire nation to a standstill, which they did. Margaret Thatcher broke the spine of Trade Union power, taking the Coal Miners head on when they went on strike in 1984 and stayed on strike for a full year! They went back to work having found out she was tougher than they were, and with the collapse of the Coal Miners power to cripple the country, British Trade Unions were effectively finished as a force in British Politics. And Thatcher was never given her due credit for her enormous contribution to the relationship Reagan had with Gorbachev. She was the one who laid the groundwork opening the door between them.

If you want the greatest single testimony to the legacy Thatcher created for herself, it's easy to summarize: she changed not just one party (her own Conservatives), but two. The Labour Party today is a FAR different entity than what it was when she became Party Leader in 1975. Back then, the Labour party was Communist “Red in both Tooth & Claw”. Today, thanks mostly to Tony Blair (who openly admired Thatcher endlessly - she being hs very first visitor to #10 when he was elected in 1997!), “New Labour” is essentially a clone of Thatcherism. Gone are the days of the Labor Party was wholly owned by Trade Union Bosses, when Labor was in favor of Nationalized Industries, and all of the other Socialist tenets. Margaret Thatcher was successful in forcing a huge rightward move of her opposition party, forcing them to accept her legacy of Thatcherism - Privatized Businesses, Privatized Housing, etc. - as the New Standard. There's the definition of a greatness as a leader if there ever was one.

To equate Sarah Palin with Margaret Thatcher is an insult to what Thatcher actually accomplished in the face of what confronted her. Whatever Palin achieves, and she hasn't even secured the leadership of her party, let alone assume the leadership of a nation, Palin has a LONG road to travel to be mentioned in the same breath as Margaret Thatcher. Even if she did, she would be starting at a point far more advanced than the starting line Thatcher was forced to begin from in 1979.

[BBell]

no

[BBell]

Excellent summary.

[Timocrat]

Most powerful of all at the time was the NMWU, The Coal Miners Union. They could literally bring the entire nation to a standstill,

Interesting how a similar situation is playing out here in the US, except we have the SEIU instead of the Mine Workers. Let's hope we get the same result.