ABSTRACT
Every Prime Minister, every political leader, has his or her career picked over and interpreted by analysts and historians. Seven perspectives offered on Mrs Thatcher’s period as party leader and Prime Minister. In each case, specific exponents of aspects of the interpretation will be highlighted, so that readers who wish to pursue particular lines further can do so. Another manifestation of the Thatcherite bolstering of the individual and the onslaught on powerful interests, which interfered with the free market, came in the government’s assault on overmighty trade union power. Here, the radical and moderate right tend to unite in praise of the government’s record. This chapter concludes with comments on Mrs Thatcher herself, and on Thatcherism, or her governments policies. She herself was a remarkable lady, of quite exceptional energy, courage and single-mindedness.
