Life and Times of Margaret Thatcher

Lessons for Individuals and PolicymakersAvadhoot Jathar

Radical Leader sponsoring changesRevival of Economy, reform of institutions

and reinvigoration of foreign policyEncouraged wider international trends, as

the end of cold war, the spread of democracy, together with growth of free market saw strengthening of political and economic freedom

Influential, Controversial, dynamic and plain-spoken leader

Maggie – Complex Personality Dimensions

Radical liberal or ConservativeIdeologue or Pragmatic PoliticianConviction Politician or One-club golferHectoring matron or a kind head-mistressWell-to-do tory lady or middle class housewifeInternationalist or Little-Englander?Pro European but Euro-scepticConscious of femininity but anti-feminist!

Mrs T – Individual QualitiesVision and Sense of

PurposeWorkaholismIntellectual Honesty

• Thoughts and Ideas• Readiness for an argument

Single – mindednessMeritocratic approachNo non-sense, plain

speakingPhoto: Margaret Thatcher at the Dublin European Summit, 1979

MT – Policy maker’s takeawayRadical Changes need resolve when going

gets toughAlso measures to check outcomes and

flexibility to retreatPossible conflict of these two opposing forces

must not to be construed an implication of doing nothing

Photo: Margaret Thatcher at 1980 Conservative Party Conference, The Lady is Not For Turning

MT – Policy maker’s takeawayImportant to consider Policy Presentation

than only the merits of Policy• Style and Rhetoric• Authority sponsoring/implementing a Policy• Political fallouts of Policy

Margaret Thatcher personally at the sale of a Council Home through her Right to Buy Policy

MT – Policy maker’s takeawayCaution that All political careers may end in

failure/tears • Tony Blair? Gordon Brown? Manmohan Singh?

Shelf life to a Politician• Hubris can take over common sense• Risk of running out of ideas

Margaret Thatcher at 1990 Conservative Party Conference

MT – Policy maker’s takeawayPolicy makers need to be simultaneously both

teachers and technocrats!Professional in dress, conducting businessQuestion of Image?

MT – Policy maker’s takeawayGender should not be underestimated in

success/failure• Effective use of femininity • Important impact for women in western

economies

Thank youThoughts, Ideas and Questions?