So, yesterday I posted a rather emotional blog entry on the Death of Margaret Thatcher. She was and is a hero (heroine?) of mine, and to say that I was devastated yesterday was an understatement. Someone commented on that blog entry that they do not feel anywhere near the connection to any politician as I seem to feel with MT - but yesterday I did experience a genuine and heartfelt outpouring of Grief.

I remember very clearly the 31st August 1997, waking up to the news that Diana, Princess of Wales had died. I remember being bewildered by the outpouring of such unfiltered emotion for someone who was so distant. Yesterday - nearing 15 years later - was the first time I cam close to understanding that.

Now, I know this woman was not perfect. She had some questionable friendships - in a comment I deleted yesterday (more for its tone than its content) her friendship with the dictator Augusto Pinochet was mentioned as an example. It has been pointed out to me that she was no supporter of Gay rights. I dispute this slightly - she voted in favour of decriminalization of sodomy, but at the same time she was a product of her generation. I won't condemn her for that.

She became Prime Minister when the UK was in terminal decline. She is vilified because of the huge surge in unemployment due to her policies, and for interest rates being obscenely high. What people forget is that after WW2, Britain kept unemployment artificially low with massive industrial subsidies that by 1979 were crippling the nation. The problem was not unemployment in 1983. it was over-employment in 1979. Bloated industries hell bent on protecting jobs and salaries at any cost meant that the nation had become uncompetitive. The medicine was harsh and radical, but it saved the economy from certain ruin. The interest rate hitting 17% in 1981 was frightening, but not as frightening as the 25% inflation endemic in the 1970's (and hitting that peak again in 1981). The high interest rate stabilised that problem.

People remember that she more than doubled VAT (a sales tax), but they forget that she did so to offset a major reduction in income tax. The top tax rate at the time was 86%. She basically said that if you could afford luxuries, you would be taxed more heavily, but that those living hand to mouth would have a low income tax, and food and essentials would be VAT-free.

She broke the unions that were holding Britain to ransom at the time. Coal Miners were demanding massive inflation busting pay rises at a time when demand for coal was falling dramatically and cost of extraction increasing exponentially. It must have been very hard to make decisions that put coal miners and their families out of work, but her philosophy of essential fairness - that one man's taxes should not support another man's employment - was sound.

I do not believe she got everything right by any means. But she was a "conviction politician". She did what she thought was right, regardless of the political consequences. To often these days politicians leave the hard choices because they think they will lose votes. I'm reminded of Edmund Burke, who said:

Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion.

US Secretary of State James Baker (as he was) described the "thatcher Doctrine" as he called it:

"First, decide what is right, even if that is not always convenient or expedient.

 

"Second, let people know what is right, give people a sound direction, trust them - sooner or later they will recognise what is right.

 

"Third, be persistent; don't give up and don't let up.

 

"Fourth and finally, when negotiations stall, get out the handbag! The solution is always there, usually written on a small piece of paper deep within it."

Finally, I know that MT was a divisive figure. I know that she raises passions in both supporters and detractors. There will be time enough to analyse her legacy at another time. But at the time of someone's passing, i think it is important to pay respect to their work ethic, and to the fact that they served their nation to the best of their ability. There are people who had "death parties" in the UK last night. That is in poor taste. At the time of my own death (hopefully many years from now) I can think of no greater accolade than for someone to say "he always did what he thought was right".

I think it sad therefore that here at GA, a tribute thread had to be deleted because people could not stay a-political and say "Here passed a woman who did what she thought was right".

In that spirit, this blog will be locked for comments

West