This morning I learned of Margaret Thatcher‘s passing with the rest of the world. She was an amazing woman and a true pioneer in world politics and diplomacy. I wanted to learn more about the former prime minister, so I did some quick research that I will share with you today. Did you know that her first job was in the science and technology field?
The “Iron Lady”, well known for her personal and political toughness, lived a very full life of 87 years and was Britain’s first female prime minister and the longest-serving prime minister of the postwar era. She served three consecutive terms in office.
She was born in 1925 and was the daughter of a grocer. In college she studied chemistry and her first job was as a research chemist. Mrs. Thatcher was then drawn to the legal field and became a barrister specializing in tax law.
Her political career began while she was at Oxford, where she was elected president of the student Conservative Association.
Mrs. Thatcher was elected to Britain’s House of Commons in 1959 as its youngest female member. In 1970, she was made Britain’s secretary of state for education and science. She was chosen to lead the Conservatives in 1975 and was elected prime minister in 1979 where she led the Conservative Party until 1990.
She was an advocate of privatizing state-owned industries and utilities, reforming trade unions, lowering taxes and reducing social expenditure. While her policies reduced inflation, unemployment dramatically increased during her years in office. Her close political and personal relationship with former president Ronald Reagan is well known.
In 1992, Thatcher left the House of Commons. She was appointed a peeress in the House of Lords with the title of Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven and traveled the world as speaker. In 1991, she founded the the Margaret Thatcher Foundation to advance the cause of political and economic freedom.
Her personal life was accomplished as well. She and her husband of 52 years raised a set of twins. Baroness Thatcher retired from public life after a stroke in 2002 and suffered several strokes after that.
Although some of her actions and policies were controversial, her legacy is inspirational and she will be remembered as a powerful leader and role model.