Lessons from The Iron Lady

I’m reminded of the principles that Margaret Thatcher, espoused and stood for, and how true they remain today.

Her father told her “never run with the crowd”; a timely reminder that we must know the principles to which we stand and not be moved by the flavor of the month, or whatever else would move us in another direction. When she first met with Conservative Party leaders, the condescension was front and center. As Thatcher espoused the idea that “a man should be encouraged to stand on his own two feet”, party leaders winced that the idea would not sell politically. As she told them, “But for those that can do they must just get up and do, not just whine about it.” Party leaders saw her as someone who would not connect with the voters. When she stated that fiscal responsibility = good housekeeping, her party failed to see that she understood family values better than they did.

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A young Thatcher can be seen in the film “The Iron Lady” learning at the feet of such groups as Institute for Economic Affairs, a think tank founded by the poultry magnate Antony Fisher. Here she learned such concepts as – people should have the freedom to, and opportunity to, fulfill their own ideas. She became the face of the ideological movement opposing welfare state Keynesian economics she believed was weakening Britain. The IEA pamphlets proposed less government, lower taxes, and more freedom for business and consumers. Statement’s made by Thatcher over time have held up to the test of time. Such as…

Evil has never been so patient as it is today.

It used to be about doing something, now it’s about trying to be someone.

Someone must force the point and say the unsayable.

Americans – they are unafraid of success, not what has been, but by what can be.

Small Business is the backbone of our nation critical for the future.

We did not win the election in order to mange its decline.

Our policies might be unpopular, but they are right.

The Trade Unions movement was founded to protect workers, now it persecutes them, stops them from working, it is killing jobs.

If we don’t cut spending we will be bankrupt. Yes, the medicine is harsh, but the patient requires it in order to live.

It was, however, Airey Neave, a significant confidant, who told Thatcher “if you want to change the party, if you want to change the country, then lead it.” When Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands in 1982, Thatcher called the Argentinean Junta – “a fascist gang”, and said, “this cannot be tolerated, I will not negotiate with criminals and thugs.” When confronted with the cost of reclamation she responded, “Cost – we can’t worry about it. We will stand on principle or we will not stand at all. Right will prevail over wrong, despite much sacrifice.” It was this brazen style that accomplished much but also ruffled the feathers of those without conviction. In a famous showdown with fellow Conservative Michael Heseltine (who would later challenge her for party leadership), He pushed for moderation of policies, “if we’re even to have a chance to win the next election”, to which Thatcher retorted “worried about our careers, are we”? Gone from much of the politics of the West is the courage of conviction. The willingness to say what needs to be said and the advocacy of what needs to be done. Too often politicians like Heseltine concern themselves with their degree of electability, their favorability ratings, and their marketability as sages of solution. Thatcher’s friend Airey Neave was assassinated by the IRA in 1979. They tried to kill her with a bomb at a Brighton hotel 4 years later. Hatred follows those who stand for the truth. It does take courage to stand for what you believe, for what is right. It’s a lesson that many politicians need to learn. It’s easy when the media and public opinion support you, but what to do when the hard choices need to be made for the greater good that short-sighted spectacles cannot focus on. The lessons of Thatcherism stand the test of time. They are largely espoused in the “Tea Party” movement, and to some extent by UKIP in the UK. Above all, we must learn to, as Mrs. Thatcher so ably put it, “stand on principle or not stand at all.”