Revisionist history notwithstanding, Thatcher did at least as much, if not more, harm as good on the domestic front.

And internationally, she was every bit as much Reagan's lapdog, as Blair has been characterized as Bush's

Thatcher - the half wit who sold off council housing to the few while leaving the rest to rot (how many on the waiting lists now Thatch? Don't care? Of course not). Thatcher - the loon who trebled the amount of people unemployed having used the electioneering slogan "Labour isn't working" (and with a "mere" 500,000 unemployed under the previous Labour govt). Thatch, who could not even afford a set of dentures that fitted properly. Thatcher - who slobbered at the backside of that brain-dead old fascist Reagan, her brother-in-arms. Thatcher ... a has-been whose own party had to sling her foul old backside onto the scrapheap ... the best thing the Tories have ever done. But wait ... son of Thatch is still around and his name is Tony Blair.

Whether one considers Margaret Thatcher a bane or boon, there isn't much dispute that she defined (at least in large part) contemporary British politics and the economic situation in the United Kingdom. As someone who isn't a British subject, I'm in no position to fully analyze the domestic situation; however, it was rather clear that the U.K. was in an economic and social malaise prior to the Thatcher era. Tough decisions had to be made (e.g. weakening the unions and privatizing much of the economy), and Britain continues to benefit from these changes. (One wonders whether other parts of Europe will make similar transitions.) Internationally, Thatcher obviously aligned British policy with American policy under Reagan, fully understanding that a unified front towards the Soviets was necessary, and British policy still has some sway in the former colonies. The bottom line is that leadership is defined by making people eat their veggies, and Thatcher succeeded more than possibly anyone else could. Margaret Hilda Thatcher was born October 13, 1925 in Grantham, Lincolnshire.

Didn't always like a lot of her policies but at least she was a tough old bird who stuck to her guns and didn't change her mind every 5 seconds like Blair. What you saw was what you got. And unlike Blair who's Bush's lapdog, old Thatch was at least the equal to Reagan if not more.

Has destroyed the British working class!! Just look at the results!!

In my opinion, the greatest PM of all time. She got rid of the bastard unions, too.

She put some iron back into the British psyche!

I'm not from the U.K., so I'm not entirely qualified to comment. Did she really get the U.K. out of hardship? Or did she create the faux-hardship? I'm not a fan of the British Conservatives. Any party that has to pander to an antiquated Monarchy is regressive. Then again, it doesn't seem like Tony Blair stands for ANY party. Anyway, old Maggie seemed to leave a bipolar legacy. Loved or loathed. I don't like her.

Contrary to the post by gosta berling, Thatcher does not have alzheimers disease. She suffered several minor strokes in 2002 which are lately leading to problems with her short term memory. She gave possibly the most moving speech at Ronald Reagan's funeral. Her mind is apparently still there.

Margaret Thatcher may have made some mistakes, ie., the Poll tax, but she restored some respect to the UK and what it means to be British. Her warnings about further integration with the EU should be taken seriously. On another note, the British Isles certainly seems to produce some strong women. Historically one can think of Elizabeth Ist, Mary I, Mary Queen of Scots, Queen Margaret, Queen Elinor and many others, not to mention Queen Victoria, Elizabeth the late Queen Mother and the current monarch Elizabeth II. Not women to trifle with!! Sounds like an idea for a book! Dominate English Women, sounds like a good title.

I hear that she is spending her twilight years in a nursing home. She is suffering from Alzheimers disease. When you suffer from Alzheimers your brain gradually diminishes until it is the size of a peanut. The process is very long and very very painfull. Eventually you reach a certain point when you're no longer aware of your disease.

PJC do you have a clue about what you are talking about! SLAVES OF COMMUNISM!!! neither the falkland or Iraq were communist. and people who are communist are not slaves they have a choice to be communist!

Stands head and shoulders over any other leader of the 20th century except perhaps Churchill.

The winter of discontent to 20 years of nearly uninterupted economic expansion, major reason nearly a billion people are no longer slaves to communism, Falklands, the Gulf War. She transformed the U.K.

When this lady was in power she told the unfortunate out of work people to quit whining and get on your bikes and look for a job. Extremely nasty person with no heart, the Iron lady of nothing!!!!!

too bad the ira couldn't get to her

Kind of a mixed bag overall. Britain's first female Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher enacted a far range of reforms to Britain's welfare state that were indeed much needed. She got inflation under control by controlling the money supply and reducing state spending while lowering taxes. In 1982, Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands, a British colony in the South Atlantic Ocean. The British were able to decisively repel the Argentines, but many partisans overstate the nature of the victory; it might have given the Brits some pride, but really it was all totally symbolic. But as I always say, symbolism in politics matter more than reality many times. The Falklands are small, unproductive islands; they could have done without them. Later in her tenure, Thatcher privatized nationalized utilities that ultimately helped make the British economy a little more competitive in the world market. In foreign relations, Thatcher was best known for her alliance to the United States and fellow conservative Ronald Reagan. A fervent anti-communist, she allowed Ronald Reagan to station nuclear missiles on British territory. Her government in 1990 due to her proposal of a poll tax to supplement local government funds. This was seen as an affront to the lower and middle classes, who stopped supporting her and the Tory party. She also lost the support of the business community when she announced her opposition to the European monetary union in 1990. Conservatives had an election in 1992, they smelled defeat, so a new leader was chosen, John Major. Thatcher had her fair share of successes, namely on the economic sphere, but she wasn't as proactive and a little ridgid on other issues like health care, transportation, and technology. She was also an effective diplomat who achieved an important accord with Northern Ireland in 1985. Overall she did a good job.

Saved Britain from economic ruin. Any of you want to go back to the good old 1970s era of strikes and decline?

Although I didn't agree with all Margaret Thatcher stood for, I could respect her for sticking to her beliefs and standing strong.

A very good woman, and a strong leader. No wonder she and Ronald Reagan were friends. They had a lot in common, including the fact that you knew right where they stood. She held socialism in contempt. She tried to do what was right even when it was unpopular. She was gracious and courageous.

She made a mess in the whole UK when she was in power !! She didnt care about poor people, she wanted to put more taxes so people had to pay them, but one tax was not paid, and then thank god she went away. she is not good at all

In the 1970s Britain was really in a mess. The 'sick man of Europe', skyrocketing unemployment, inflation reaching over 20%, the winter of discontent, the 3-day weak, stike after strike. Things looked incredibly bad. Then Margaret Thatcher came along. Her economic policies had to deal with high inflation and high unemployment - a combination which had been thought to be imposssible, inflation being traded off against unemployment. She had a very hard job to do. She took some hard decisions. She hurt a lot of people in the process. But in the end Britain came out of it far stronger. Britain hasn't had a recession since 1993, because of the supply-side reforms she introduced and the hard choices she made. Britain now has an economy going from strength to strength, which is nothing to do with short-term factors - such as labour's management of the economy - and has everything to do with long term reforms she made, hard choices. If these choices hadn't been made, things might have been far worse. In the short run they must have had awful consequences but in the long run they reaped far larger rewards. One comment accuses her of starting the Falklands War for political ends. This is factually incorrect. Argentina, under a fascist dictatorship, invaded the Falkland Islands. This is indisputable fact. She didn't start any war. People claim she ruined the health service, through under-investment. The fact was that the British ecomony was run incredibly badly in the 1950s and 1960s - short term high growth leading to long-term melt-down. When melt-down happened in the 1970s, Thatcher was there to pick up the pieces. But Humpty Dumpty couldn't be put back together again. At least not perfectly. She did bad things - terrbile things - like the Poll Tax, Lawson boom and bust and a couple of recessions, and the Black Wednesday debacle - but overall I think she did a fantastic job. She came into a country that had gone to the dogs and left an economic legacy of success. Ruined our country? Look at the state it was in in 1979 before you complain, and look at it now.

Awful woman and quite mad... but wouldn't it be nice to have a strong leader in power instead of the nasty, snivelling and underhand Tony Blair? He more than most has ruined my country.

She's a fascist cold-hearted cow. What can I give her more than 1?

It a shame there is no ZERO. She showed the world how to best erode indevidual rights and help create corporate tyrannies.

She is a cold hearted cow who had nothing good to give to our country. We are still reeping the pain of what she put the working class through.

Selfish old trash. Ruined my country, and did nothing about the invasion of Islamic madness. Allowed Iranians to block the pavement on Oxford Street in my city, my country to bitch and moan over their problems, which they should have gone back to Iran to solve. Typical capitalist who cares nothing for their people or nation, and only wants cheap wages so they can enjoy their estates.

God, Maggie, Do something about those teeth!

Yet another dreadful and ineffectual conservative who did little or nothing to improve the common good of her country, yet, like those of her political stripe, lined the pockets of her already well-heeled greedhead supporters. Saw nothing wrong with totalitarian governments (i.e., Pinochet) and insisted on that totally unncessary Falklands war, which was her version of Ronnie Rectum's grandstanding/bullying of Grenada and Libya, and a precursor to W's similiar insult to mankind called the Iraqi war. Social programs in her country suffered gravely due to her simplistic, reductive and retarded tough love approach to national finances, which served as yet another impetus for the U.K. to continue to sink into third world status. The modest economic response to her draconian, society-damaging iniatives hardly justified the means. A post-menopausal old biddy suffering from severe penis envy who toadied up to that other wrong-minded relic, The Great Fornicator, for support, as her own people came to increasingly despise and resent her reign of error. Posters here admire her, and all moronic conservatives it seems, for knowing right where they stand: I don't know how valuable a quality this is if the unwavering, crystal-clear positions of a political figure are relentlessly ill-advised and damaging to the people. As the droolers feel mere honesty takes precedence over wisdom, pragmatism and achievement, it's no wonder these clueless dolts are a continuing drain on the social, economic, political and cultural vitality of this country.

Margaret Thatcher was one of Britain's greatest rulers. Yes, she had faults, and yes she was strict, but that was what Great Britain needed at the time! She never backed down (ex. Falklands...) and she whipped the UK back into shape. Bravo Maggie!! It may be the cock that crows, but it's the hen that lays the egg. -Margaret Thatcher, PM

Margeret Thatcher was indeed a female Reagan, but don't ever imagine for a second that this was a good thing. She was corrupt and violent opposed to any kind of socialism. She took milk out of the mouths of poor children in order to improve the profits of her wealthy cronies. Hey, that's just the kind of thing Reagan did. I hope she becomes so crippled by arthritis that she has to have embittered Jamaican nurses bathe her and wipe her backside for the rest of her painful life.

The only PM ever to start a war because she needed the popularity that fervent nationalism would give her. Her government was deeply unpopular in the early 80's and was looking to be thrown out until the Falklands. And denying the right to picketing for strikes was the only reason she kept in power, she weakened the unions, and Labour too much to fight back. Her government was met by dislike by all younger people, and was full of riots, protests, and other things. The poll tax threatened to take us back to the 14th century, the last time something like that came up. And as for strong... Hitler was strong in his country. So was he a great leader?

Right-wing, murderous, cold-booded bint. Supported Pinochet. Keeps cropping up in Britin and spouting fascist rhetoric.

Margaret Thatcher was single-handedly responsible for the closing down of ship yards within Scotland. Privatisation is all good and well but if the previously national equity comes on hard times, there is no government backing to revive the company.

You have no idea of what you're talking about. The real fascists are the ones who opposed her willness to make Great Britain a modern and great country after decades of unsuccessful socialist experiments. Lady of the Century.

The most evil, self rightous, right wing dictator in British history - and theres been a few.

pure evil

one star if too much for this monster. She murdered in Ireland and in the Faklands, she destroyed their livelyhoods of her own countrymen, and she was the imbodiment of a rasist bigot who will burn in hell.

What the heck did she ever accomplish?

The only British prime minister who truly had a vision for Great Britain. She vehemently defended the free markets and Britain's economy went up. If Tony Blair can show he is a moral and just man, he too will gain high ratings by me.

fascist

Rock on Iron Maiden.

Easily the closest modern day politician to Hitler, not in a genocidal way, but she was truly a right wing authoritarian fascist. So was Reagan, but not nearly as bad as her. A terrible person all around.

Goes hand in hand with good ol Ronnie!

I think it is really too bad that I have to criticize a female leader. I think she could have been a great role model for future female leaders but this has not come true. Quite the opposite actually: she supported Pinochet and only got around to being a right wing fundamentalist. Thank the lord she is a goner and in spite of her own words the mummy will not return!

I should have expected people to praise her 100%. I grew up in the Thatcher reign - and my family suffered because of it. She brought in The Poll Tax - which both rich and poor were meant to pay the same amount. Impossible for some families, including mine. Because of her, both my parents went to jail becuase they couldn't afford it, first my father, then my mother. House prices are ridiculous because of that woman and she abolished people's right to a Worker's Union. She helped destroy families who couldn't afford the lifestyle she thought the people of our country should have. I know that because there were thousands of them on the marches against the Poll Tax and regarding what was happening to the miners. I hate her. If you want to see a film adaptation of what it was like for the majority of the miners who got laid off, (about a quarter of a million of them) watch 'Brassed Off' featuring Pete Postlewaithe and Ewan McGregor and you'll see what I mean.

She had guts! but not enough to seduce reagan. the best jews can ever hope for in a woman.

The only woman on the list.

shes long gone by now.

This woman did more to exacerbate the social and economic divisions in a nation that saw race riots in Brixton and Manchester and other economically disadvantaged cities in Britain during her tenure as Prime Minister. Her steely determination to live her life and govern her nation is admirable based upon her principles, yet this is the same person who roundly demonized Neil Kinnock and the Labor Party and made them out to be the second coming of Attila the Hun and his minions. Her stubborn refusal to assist John Major and the Conservatives once she was elected to the emasculated House of Lords with several NATO allies to help Germany re-unify by pandering to traditional British fears of losing their insular island identity and raising the specter of a strong, unified Germany bent upon Lebensraum and subverting British identity to that of a Europe dominated by Berlin is at best disingenuous and at worst abhorrent and reprehensible. Her devotion to Ronald Reagan (he affectionately called her "Maggie") often superseded (inter)national policy and more than once caused NATO allies to grouse at her chauvinism towards projects not originally Anglo-American. Her attitudes towards the Irish, Scots and Continental Europe was patronizing and out of touch with the common people. Lest we forget, this woman originated from common stock and rose to positions of influence and power, but seemed to forget where she came from. She's the British equivalent of a Re-smug-lican and history will judge her several decades hence.