Margaret Thatcher
/ˌmɑːɡrət ˈθætʃə(r)/
/ˌmɑːrɡrət ˈθætʃər/
(also Mrs Thatcher
/ˌmɪsɪz ˈθætʃə(r)/
/ˌmɪsɪz ˈθætʃər/
, Maggie /ˈmæɡi/
/ˈmæɡi/
, Lady Thatcher /ˌleɪdi ˈθætʃə(r)/
/ˌleɪdi ˈθætʃər/
)- (1925-2013) a British Conservative politician who became Britain's first woman prime minister and was one of the longest serving British prime ministers of the 20th century. She became a Member of Parliament in 1959 and a member of the Cabinet in 1970 when she was made Secretary of State for education and science. In 1975 she defeated Edward Heath in a party election for leader and became Prime Minister in 1979 when the Conservative Party won the general election. She believed that the state should not interfere in business, and privatized many industries that were owned by the state. She reduced the power of the trade unions by a series of laws, and defeated the miners in the miners' strike in 1985. She wanted people not to rely on the welfare state, and instead to pay for their own healthcare, education and pensions. People were often critical of Mrs Thatcher's policies, and blamed her for the decline of many British industries and high unemployment. However she was seen as a very determined and patriotic prime minister, and she became especially popular after the Falklands War. Because of this she was often referred to as the 'Iron Lady'. After winning three general elections, she was forced to resign in 1991 by members of her own party who criticized her attitude to the European Union. She was succeeded as Prime Minister by John Major. She was made a life peer in 1992. “There is no such thing as society.”
（1925-2013）英国保守党政治家，成为英国第一位女首相，也是20世纪英国任期最长的首相之一。她于 1959 年成为国会议员，并于 1970 年成为内阁成员，当时她被任命为教育和科学大臣。 1975年，她在党魁选举中击败爱德华·希思，并于1979年保守党赢得大选后成为首相。她认为国家不应该干预商业，并将许多国有行业私有化。她通过一系列法律削弱了工会的权力，并在1985年的矿工罢工中击败了矿工。她希望人们不要依赖福利国家，而是自己支付医疗、教育和养老金。人们经常批评撒切尔夫人的政策，并将英国许多工业的衰落和高失业率归咎于她。然而，她被视为一位非常坚定和爱国的总理，并且在马岛战争后特别受欢迎。因此，她经常被称为“铁娘子”。 1991年，在赢得三届大选后，她因批评她对欧盟的态度而被本党成员强迫辞职。她的首相职位由约翰·梅杰接替。 1992 年，她被任命为终身贵族。“社会这回事并不存在。”玛格丽特·撒切尔