Margaret Hilda Thatcher Essay examples -- essays research papers

Margaret Hilda Thatcher     Margaret Hilda Thatchers overwhelming champion of self-confidence andambition ruled her life from the time she was a base child in Grantham, thoughher Oxford eld and during her early days in politics. It led her to becomethe initial female Prime Minister of considerable Britain, and also helped through herdifficult political years as "Attila the Hun".     Britains first female Prime Minister was born on October 13, 1925 in asmall room over a grocers shop in Grandham, England. Margaret Hilda was the heartbeat daughter of Alfred and Beatrice Roberts. She often stated that she wasbrought up very strictlyI owe everything in my life to two things a good home, and a good education.My home was ordinary, still good in the sense that my parents were turbulentlyinterested in the future of my sister and myself. At the same time, they gaveus a good education - not only in school, but at home as well (Gardiner, 1 975,p.13).As a child, minginess and practicality were instilled in Margaretscharacter. The Methodist church played an active fraction in the lives of theRoberts. She looked good schools as a child and spent her years deliberateing withthe intent of attending Oxford. Margaret arrived at Oxford in the autumn of1943. During her years here, Margaret worked in a canteen for the war effort,continued her interest in music by joining various choirs and joined the OxfordUniversity Conservative standstill where she became very active in itspolitical activities.     After Oxford, Margaret became the youngest female outlook of theDartford Association. She was unofficially engaged to Denis Thatcher at thistime, and they married in December 1951. twin were born the following year.During this period, she studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1954. In thesame year she was a candidate for the Oysington Conservative Association.     Margaret won in a Tory landslide at Finchley, a suburb of London in 1959.Her parliamentary career had begun. A stroke of good luck gave her theluck of presenting her first bill almost immediately. This bill was toallow the press to attend the meetings of the local councils. The bill waseventually passed and it greatly enhanced her reputation. In 1964 she was partof the opposition... ... "ideology isempirical and instinctive, but not the product of great study or reflection, andit amounts to a rather simple (though not unsophisticated) radicallibertarianism"(Mayer, 1979, p.11). Mayer goes on to say that she is hardly amother-figure for a nation. Though she is caring and tactful with closeassociates, she does not project warmth or humor. The public sees her as astrict nanny, not a loving mommy. She is tough disposed(p) and has great stamina anda tenacious spirit. Thatcher has stated that she has never doubted her inherent convictions.     Margaret Thatcher grew up in an e ra when women were not normallysuccessful as politicians or as business women. Even so, she managed totransform her sex from a liability to a major political asset. She may havebeen unpopular at times due to her approach to life and politics, but a "softer"female Prime Minister might not have been as effective. Recognition was earnedthrough her overwhelming sense of ambition and dedication to the job "Thatcher,Milk Snatcher" was bestowed the title Baroness and there-by received therecognition that she had coveted all her life.