La dame de fer (the iron lady) has left the building; departing with her coat buttoned and her dignity intact, as my mother would say.
A few days ago, the mob demonstrated their hatred of her.
The antagonism the Iron Lady Prime Minister provoked was amazing.
Glenda Jackson's speech was venemous, and the mob anger was intense, anger not seen since the poll tax days.
Open hatred spilled out from people of all backgrounds and persuasions, all along the rickety ladder, united by their common contempt of the ex-prime minister.
It was a cocktail of wrath, there was some thoughtful venom from the well-educated middle classes, and bile from the gentlemen with the scary teeth, a scene Dickens might have enjoyed, then captured exquisitely.
With 4000 police in force and cameras watching each minor episode of the parade, it would have been difficult for the protesters to emit more than a weak boo here and there. This was evident as the coffin was making its way along the route, demonstrators were muffled with applause.
The Iron Lady Prime Minister was wrong in some of her key judgements, but whether or not she was the evil witch portrayed is another matter.
To her credit, she never flinched from criticism. Her ambition was obvious; but Margaret Thatcher owned up to her ideas, which is more than you can say for many weaker politicians on the world stage today.
She was a decisive, if at times, misguided and obstinate leader. My ancestors in Ireland may spin in their graves, I'm supposed to dislike her yet I admire her great spirit. Perhaps Margaret didn't spare much of a thought for those who stumbled outside of her ideology; people such asthe Irish, or those whom she regarded as 'terrorists',people like Nelson Mandela (and maybe also the Scots, was the Baroness of Kilmarnock at St Pauls I wonder?).
This is the common legend, and we base our hatred on her 'cruel and callous' personality.
But how much of this anti-Thatcherism is rhetoric, stemming from an equally vicious left wing, a branch of seething 'socialism', stripped of its innate power and dignity, reduced to mere rabble rousing hatred of individuality, untenable as that individuality may appear in their eyes. Did Margaret Thatcher do this?
Or was socialism already in decline by the time she put the final nail in the lid of its coffin.
In Brighton, her stance against the bombers was brave, foolhardy, and politically brilliant. I believe she was right in facing down the IRA, and who cannot admire such a show of strength against the extortionists of fear.
Her political reign saw an era of enormous conflict and social change. When the dust settles we may examine her with fresh eyes, or not.
We need to understand this lady, what made her tick, what were her true strengths, and weaknesses. Can we do this in a balanced, detached, even scientific way, as cold as that seems.
Adopting political hate slogans is not the answer; it's a strategy of the helpless. It won't help anyone. We ought to at least acknowledge the artfulness of a distinctive mind. Whatever else she was, Margaret Thatcher was possibly the most skilful player on the world political stage, at least during the latter half of the 20th Century.
That may well be her legacy.
A few days ago, the mob demonstrated their hatred of her.
The antagonism the Iron Lady Prime Minister provoked was amazing.
Glenda Jackson's speech was venemous, and the mob anger was intense, anger not seen since the poll tax days.
Open hatred spilled out from people of all backgrounds and persuasions, all along the rickety ladder, united by their common contempt of the ex-prime minister.
It was a cocktail of wrath, there was some thoughtful venom from the well-educated middle classes, and bile from the gentlemen with the scary teeth, a scene Dickens might have enjoyed, then captured exquisitely.
With 4000 police in force and cameras watching each minor episode of the parade, it would have been difficult for the protesters to emit more than a weak boo here and there. This was evident as the coffin was making its way along the route, demonstrators were muffled with applause.
The Iron Lady Prime Minister was wrong in some of her key judgements, but whether or not she was the evil witch portrayed is another matter.
To her credit, she never flinched from criticism. Her ambition was obvious; but Margaret Thatcher owned up to her ideas, which is more than you can say for many weaker politicians on the world stage today.
She was a decisive, if at times, misguided and obstinate leader. My ancestors in Ireland may spin in their graves, I'm supposed to dislike her yet I admire her great spirit. Perhaps Margaret didn't spare much of a thought for those who stumbled outside of her ideology; people such asthe Irish, or those whom she regarded as 'terrorists',people like Nelson Mandela (and maybe also the Scots, was the Baroness of Kilmarnock at St Pauls I wonder?).
This is the common legend, and we base our hatred on her 'cruel and callous' personality.
But how much of this anti-Thatcherism is rhetoric, stemming from an equally vicious left wing, a branch of seething 'socialism', stripped of its innate power and dignity, reduced to mere rabble rousing hatred of individuality, untenable as that individuality may appear in their eyes. Did Margaret Thatcher do this?
Or was socialism already in decline by the time she put the final nail in the lid of its coffin.
In Brighton, her stance against the bombers was brave, foolhardy, and politically brilliant. I believe she was right in facing down the IRA, and who cannot admire such a show of strength against the extortionists of fear.
Her political reign saw an era of enormous conflict and social change. When the dust settles we may examine her with fresh eyes, or not.
We need to understand this lady, what made her tick, what were her true strengths, and weaknesses. Can we do this in a balanced, detached, even scientific way, as cold as that seems.
Adopting political hate slogans is not the answer; it's a strategy of the helpless. It won't help anyone. We ought to at least acknowledge the artfulness of a distinctive mind. Whatever else she was, Margaret Thatcher was possibly the most skilful player on the world political stage, at least during the latter half of the 20th Century.
That may well be her legacy.
About the Author:
Read more thoughts about Margaret Thatcher. Stop by Olive Onion's page or visit Nick Bibbyat New London Bloggers. We print fresh new articles.
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