She opens up to the world
future fashion stars, shoots outfits of leading designers in a gardening magazine, condemns the too long Fashion Marathon... and it is immediately shortened by two days!
Her authority in the fashion world is unquestionable, and her image invariably ends up in all the reviews of the best looks of Fashion Weeks and social events. It's hard to believe, but Anna Wintour is 65 years old, and she has been at the helm of American Vogue since 1988!
Anna Wintour and Donna Karan (right)
A characteristic bob, unchanged despite all fashion trends, perfectionism, awarded with many caustic epithets (for example, “Nuclear Winter”) and mentioned in the acclaimed book “The Devil Wears Prada”, have long been the hallmarks of Anna Wintour. And it seems (fortunately!) that she does not intend to cheat on herself.
One gets the feeling that the legendary editor doesn’t need “beacons” - she knows exactly what she’s doing. Does this concern revolutionary changes in the publications entrusted to Wintour or support for one or another initiative. Among the talents discovered by the “Iron Lady” are Christopher Kane, Jonathan Saunders, Kate Bosworth and many others. As Wintour admitted, not without a bit of self-irony, in an interview with Campbell, she doesn’t know how to sew dresses, can’t work with photographs and can’t write, but she knows how to find talent, support them and show them to the world. Remember how she supported John Galliano during a difficult period of obscurity and lack of money for him, and, as they say in knowledgeable circles, she greatly contributed to the designer’s entry into the LVMH concern. And during a serious drop in demand in the American market caused by the economic crisis of 2008, she initiated the Fashion’s Night Out shopping festival, which became incredibly popular.
For those wondering how she does it all, Anna Wintour offers advice: “Everyone should get fired at least once in their career because perfection doesn't exist. It's important to fail sometimes, because that's life.". Once Anna was fired from Harper's Bazaar... after which she headed British Vogue. And then House & Garden magazine, which was renamed H&G, publishing interiors of celebrities and models wearing clothes from the world's leading designers. Such a radical approach caused a lot of criticism, caustic comments... and an increase in circulation!
In 1988, Anna Wintour became the head of American Vogue, and in 2008 she received the honorary Order of the British Empire from the hands of Queen Elizabeth II herself. And it looks like her success story is far from over.
“If you are not confident in yourself, pretend that you are confident, because this way you will convince everyone else of it. Most people are lying. I make decisions quickly because I believe it is beneficial for my subordinates. The world we live in values instincts and quick reactions."
“People work better when they are responsible,” Anna Wintour never tires of emphasizing the importance of delegating tasks.
“I don’t get up in the morning thinking: “Okay, I need to do something urgently to be a ‘role model’ for others.” I just live my life to the fullest, I try to make the right decisions for the magazine and for the company as a whole, and - if we talk about personal things - for my family. This happens on an unconscious level."
“I separate work and personal life. I know how to “switch off.” On weekends, for example, I like to go out of town or tend to the garden, play tennis or spend time with the children and my dog.”
Margaret Thatcher, the only woman in history to serve as British Prime Minister, using tough methods, led the country out of the economic crisis and returned its international authority. In her book, the retired Iron Lady, speaking about government, talks about the power of democracy and the weakening effect of some democratic myths, the magazine writes. Correspondent in No. 32 of August 17, 2012
."Democracy tends to produce good government" Correspondent No. 32
From the daughter of a grocer to the title of baroness and international recognition as a politician and leader of one of the most significant states in the world - Margaret Thatcher, the only lady to serve as prime minister in the entire history of Great Britain and the first woman to receive such a significant post in Europe, mastered such an extraordinary life path.
Thatcher does not see anything special in his success, believing that it is the fruit of perseverance, education and ordinary women's savvy. After all, any representative of the fair sex who is familiar with the problems of running a household, according to her, is close to understanding the mechanisms of governing the country.
Thatcher doesn’t see anything special in his success, believing that it is the fruit of perseverance, education and ordinary female savvy
True, the Iron Lady, as Thatcher was nicknamed for her tough management style, cannot be called “any housewife.” Since childhood, she was not at all distinguished by her feminine character and hobbies.
Growing up in a strict, religiously permeated Victorian environment, young Thatcher devoted all her time not to dancing or other girlish joys, but to reading and studying. According to the traditions of that time, she received her education in special institutions for girls, which later played into her hands: being almost isolated from communication with the opposite sex in childhood, Thatcher never learned to have a complex in front of men and give in to them. “And when I became an adult, sorry, gentlemen, but it was too late,” she said.
Gentlemen - British statesmen, public and party leaders - have seen the hard way that this lady does not give in to them or to complex problems, solving them with far from feminine firmness.
For example, as Minister of Transport, Education and Science, she criticized the socialist principles of governing the country to smithereens and cut spending on free milk in schools in order to finance scientific programs. Thatcher received a barrage of criticism for this, but she bore it with equanimity.
Gentlemen - British statesmen, public and party leaders - have seen the hard way that this lady does not give in either to them or to complex problems, solving them with far from feminine firmness
Having taken the prime minister's post, the Iron Lady continued her battle with supporters of leftist views, never tired of repeating that the “welfare state” is the main source of social problems. And at the time Thatcher appeared as head of government in Britain, they reached their peak: the “winter of discontent” was just sweeping across the country - a period when life on the islands was paralyzed by strikes, and mountains of garbage and even dead people lay on the streets due to the strike. there was no one to bury the madness.
A steep economic decline, loss of influence on the world stage and large-scale strikes organized by trade unions are only part of the challenges that the new prime minister had to solve. And a conservative from hat to toe, as Thatcher always was, quickly proved to the country that she did not intend to become liberal.
She sharply limited the rights of trade unions, primarily miners, which at that moment ruled public life, and also achieved an increase in oil production, thereby reducing the country's dependence on coal. In addition, Thatcher got rid of unprofitable state-owned companies, transferring them into private hands. As a result, giants such as British Airways and the gas monster British Gas became joint stock companies. All this pushed the economy forward and marked the beginning of the development of so-called people's capitalism.
“Too few rich, and too little profit,” - this is how the Iron Lady saw the cause of the crisis in the country, doing everything to make her compatriots more prosperous. And success awaited her along this path.
Thatcher got rid of unprofitable state-owned companies, transferring them into private hands. As a result, giants such as British Airways and the gas monster British Gas became joint stock companies. All this pushed the economy forward and marked the beginning of the development of so-called people's capitalism
Having proven her effectiveness in domestic policy, Thatcher took up the foreign policy sphere just as decisively. Under her, Great Britain got involved in an armed conflict with Argentina over the Falkland Islands and won the war. The victory restored Britain to respect in the international arena, lost due to the crisis and the collapse of the colonial empire.
“She was the only man courageous enough to lead [the country],” British parliamentarian Lord Pennell said of Thatcher.
Although, according to the Iron Lady herself, her strength did not lie in some kind of “courage,” but in following the precepts of her beloved father. He was distinguished by honesty and consistency, did not recognize the words “I can’t” and “it’s too difficult.” It was the father who once formulated a life motto for his daughter: you should never follow the crowd, it is better to lead them with you.
Thatcher described her experience of leading a crowd, as well as her non-trivial views on managing a modern European state, in an extensive work entitled The Art of Statecraft: Strategies for a Changing World.
“The establishment of democracy in all countries and on all continents remains legitimate and, indeed, a fundamental aspect of a sound foreign policy. There are many practical reasons for this: democracies do not usually go to war with each other; Democracy tends to bring good government to power; Democracy is in most cases inextricable from prosperity."- about the importance of democracy for the success and prosperity of the entire world community.
“A reasonable and stable international order can only be built on respect for nations and nation-states. Nationalism, national pride and national institutions, despite their inherent shortcomings, form the best basis for a functioning democracy. Attempts to suppress national differences or to unite different nations with clearly defined traditions into artificial state formations very often end in failure and sometimes in bloodshed."- about nationalism as an important factor in the existence of successful democratic states.
“Whatever stratagems of international diplomacy may be used to preserve peace, the ultimate test of statecraft is the decision of what to do in the face of war. The ability to contain a war and to win an imposed war are two sides of the same coin: both require continuous investment in defense and a constant, unbending determination to resist aggression. In modern times, even the very thought of war is anathema. But, despite this, armed conflicts of varying intensity flare up here and there on Earth."- Thatcher, who got involved in a victorious conflict for Great Britain with Argentina over tiny islands far from Europe, talks about the need for the leader of any state to be ready for war.
“A far-sighted statesman must consider and evaluate a range of risks and opportunities. Foreign policy and security are, first of all, the use of force and power to achieve one's own goals in relations with other states. As a conservative, I am absolutely not afraid of such a statement. Let others try to achieve the desired results in international affairs without relying on force. They are doomed to fail"- while ruling the center of the once mighty but crumbling British Empire, Thatcher did not abandon the idea of using force to solve foreign policy problems.
“In building a coalition to fight a common enemy, we may have to - at least temporarily - move closer to unsatisfactory regimes that we would otherwise criticize. As a supporter of conservative rather than liberal views in matters of foreign policy and security, I fully agree with [British Prime Minister in 1940-1945 and 1951-1955] Winston Churchill, who once spoke about an alliance with the USSR in the fight against Nazi Germany: “If [German Fuhrer Adolf] Hitler invaded hell, I would at least try to give the devil a good recommendation.”- that the most unexpected temporary alliances are acceptable in foreign policy.
“After the end of the Cold War, the West for some reason decided that now it is possible to think and talk only about the delights of the world. After the victory over the main enemy - Soviet communism - the idea that other enemies could appear that could disrupt our quiet well-being seemed too ridiculous. Now we know that the terrorists of [Al-Qaeda leader Osama] bin Laden have been preparing their crimes for many years. The spread of their insane, vicious ideology (it’s hard to call it a religion) happened before our eyes. We were too blinkered to notice anything. In short, the world has never ceased to be dangerous. However, the West has lost its vigilance. Without a doubt, this is the main lesson of the tragedy of September 11, and we must learn it if we do not want our civilization to cease to exist."- Thatcher believes that the terrorist attack brought the Western world back to earth, dispelling the euphoria that gripped democratic countries after the collapse of the “evil empire” - the USSR.
“The feminization of military service is perhaps the most harmful of these “reforms.” Due to the fact that men are generally physically stronger than women, a dilemma arises - either prevent the latter from performing tasks that require physical strength, or reduce the complexity of the tasks themselves, which, you see, is easy to do in exercises, but not in combat. Supporters of feminization choose, of course, the second path. And they often agree with them."- a woman who has mastered a man's job, Thatcher talks about the dangers of the total feminization of society.
“A united Germany will undoubtedly once again become the dominant power in Europe. It would be quite diplomatic, but at the same time criminally naive, not to notice that it was Germany’s desire for dominance that led in my lifetime to two terrible global wars that claimed the lives of hundreds of millions of people, including 9 million Germans. The Germans are a cultured and talented people, but in the past they have repeatedly demonstrated a striking inability to limit their own ambitions and respect their neighbors."- Thatcher warns Europeans that German dominance in Europe could cause big problems.
“America is the stronghold of the struggle for freedom in the world, since the meaning of its very existence lies in preserving the values of freedom.<…>. The modern world - and this is not a joke - dates back to July 4, 1776. On that day the rebel colonists committed to paper truths that required no proof, and solemnly swore that neither life, nor fortune, nor good name would be spared in their defense: “All men are created equal, endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.<…>, and to secure these rights, men have agreed among themselves to form governments, which derive power from the consent of those under their government.” From that moment on, patriotism was no longer understood as devotion to the fatherland, but as devotion to universal and eternal principles."- The Iron Lady admires the principles underlying American democracy.
“I have always been confident that the communist system will inevitably collapse if the West remains firm. My confidence stemmed from the fact that communism tried to go against the very essence of human nature and was therefore untenable. His desire to level out individual characteristics did not make it possible to mobilize individual talents, which is fundamentally important for the creation of material values. He impoverished not just souls, but society itself."- the anti-human nature of communism, according to Thatcher, became the key reason for the collapse of the Soviet system built on it.
Margaret Thatcher born on October 13, 1925 in the town of Grantham, the birthplace of the famous scientist Isaac Newton. She was educated as a chemist and lawyer. In 1970, she took the post of Minister of Education and Science in the government of the Conservative Edward Heath. Five years later, after Heath resigned as prime minister and was removed from the leadership of the party, Thatcher was elected leader of the Conservatives.
In 1979, she became the first female prime minister in the country's history. In addition, Thatcher is the only head of the British government to hold office three times in a row. She ruled the country until November 1990, that is, 11 and a half years - a record long period. The Iron Lady outdid even Winston Churchill, the legend of British politics, who was prime minister only twice, and then only with a break.
In 1990, Thatcher received the Order of Merit, and in 1992, Queen Elizabeth II granted her the title of Baroness and a lifetime right to sit in the House of Lords.
This material was published in No. 32 of the Korrespondent magazine dated August 17, 2012. Reproduction of Korrespondent magazine publications in full is prohibited. The rules for using materials from the Korrespondent magazine published on the Korrespondent.net website can be found .
Pictured: young Margaret Thatcher (left) with her older sister Muriel. Photo telegraph.co.uk.
Margaret Hilda Roberts was born in 1925 into a family of ordinary English workers. Her childhood and adolescence occurred during a difficult period for the whole world. Margaret's mother was a dressmaker and an exemplary housewife, while her father owned two grocery stores and also took an active part in the political life of the small town of Grantham, where the family lived. It was the head of the family who saw great potential in the younger of the two daughters and made every effort to develop it.
Since childhood, Margaret was distinguished by her determination, diligence and brilliant mind, which set her apart from her peers. After graduating from public primary school, she received a scholarship to the prestigious Kesteven and Grantham School for Girls, where she excelled. Like many English teenagers, Miss Roberts combined her studies at school with various extracurricular activities, playing the piano, doing race walking and attending poetry and public speaking courses.
After graduating from school, Margaret received higher education at the famous Oxford University. At the same time, the choice of specialization was quite unexpected for a person passionate about politics - the girl studied chemistry. The future prime minister even managed to work in a chemical laboratory and take part in a study of the properties of the antibiotic Gramicidin S.
Political career of Margaret Thatcher
In the photo: Margaret Thatcher. Photo by thatchercentre.com.
However, the desire to build a political career soon led Miss Roberts to think about the need for a legal education. During her first election campaign in 1951 for the Dutford constituency, when she was not only the youngest contestant but also the only woman, Maggie met her future husband, Denis Thatcher. At that time, many believed that Margaret was not created for family life: in those days, a woman was seen mainly as a mother and housewife, but the future Mrs. Thatcher was too ambitious for these roles. Evil tongues said that the only reason for her marriage was the wealth of her husband, who managed to pay for the coveted legal education and significantly helped her in building a political career.
It is difficult to say whether this really happened. But for me, the fact that the couple lived together for many years and were happily married seems more than indicative. The couple had two children, for the sake of raising whom Margaret deliberately took a career break, already being a lawyer and having every opportunity for rapid growth. All their friends spoke about the tender relationship of the spouses, and once Denis Thatcher himself said: “The world and the family see Margaret with different eyes. The world calls her the Iron Lady. The children call her what children should call her: Ma. I gave her a different nickname." Margaret herself once stated that if she had to choose between her family or her career, she would resign from her post the very next day.
By the way, the history of the nicknames of the first woman prime minister is no less interesting than her political career. As soon as they called her: at school she was teased as “splinter” and “toothpick”, and in politics such dubious epithets were used to address Margaret as “armored tank” and even “ram”. For her decree to cancel the provision of milk to schoolchildren, most of whom, according to inspections, simply threw it away, preferring the fashionable Coca-Cola, she received the nickname “milk thief.” The most famous of them - “The Iron Lady” - Margaret received with the light hand of a columnist for the newspaper of the USSR Ministry of Defense, Yuri Gavrilov. His article with the loud title “The Iron Lady Frightens...”, which became a reaction to Thatcher’s statement about the Russians’ desire for world domination, was translated by the English media, calling Margaret “The Iron Maiden”. Interestingly, this is the name given to a medieval torture device, which was an iron cabinet, the insides of which were studded with sharp spikes. However, the future prime minister thanked the Soviet official for the nickname that soon stuck with her and even used it in her election campaign, which she carried out under the slogan “Britain needs an Iron Lady.”
In the photo: Margaret Thatcher with her family. Photo dailymail.co.uk.
In 1979, Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister of Great Britain. Reviews and opinions about her policies were more than contradictory. But with all this, it was Thatcher who managed to lead the country out of a deep crisis. Yes, she had to make tough and controversial decisions, for which others hated her, thanks to which the politics of those times went down in history under the name “Thatcherism.” And yet, it was during these years that the overall personal well-being of the population increased by 80 percent, and more than a million British families were able to buy their own home. Margaret left the post of Prime Minister in 1990, leaving a completely different, stronger and economically prosperous country in the hands of the new government.
Until the end of her days, despite progressive dementia, Thatcher remained an active participant in social and political life, writing books, giving lectures and taking part in various events. In 2003, after the death of her husband, her health deteriorated significantly, and in 2013, after many years of struggling with several diseases at once, Margaret Thatcher died of a stroke. This amazing woman was so used to planning everything in advance that she even took care of planning her own funeral, which took place very magnificently and in the presence of members of the royal family.
However, there were also those who were pleased with the death of the Iron Lady. And while a solemn funeral service was taking place in St. Paul's Cathedral, parties were held on the streets of Britain, bonfires were lit and songs from The Wizard of Oz were sung about the fact that the witch had died.
In the photo: Liverpool youth rejoice at the death of Margaret Thatcher. Photo mirror.co.uk.
Until now, there is no clear assessment of Margaret Thatcher's reign in British society - this is one of those dangerous topics that it is better not to touch upon in conversations with the British. But, if we talk in general about the contribution of the first British female prime minister to the development and prosperity of the country, it is difficult to overestimate it. And it is unlikely that the current Prime Minister Theresa May, although she strives to imitate Thatcher’s manners, can compare with her in charisma and leadership qualities. There is no other such “iron lady” and, apparently, there will never be another one.
The death of Margaret Thatcher caused an extremely controversial reaction in the world
She is often considered one of the last great personalities of the 20th century, largely due to the fact that she managed to stay in power in a democratic country for 11 years in a row, only falling short of the record of Roosevelt and de Gaulle. But the features of her policy, including foreign policy, are difficult to understand without tracing how her character, worldview, character traits were formed, what were the characteristics of her upbringing and way of life.
On the one hand, she remains the first and only woman prime minister and head of the Conservative Party (heir to the aristocratic Tory faction). However, she was not entirely typical of the conservatives of the 1970s. representative of the “middle class”. On the other hand, her management methods have often been characterized as authoritarian, and her style of communication with her ministers can only be described as conflictual.
The set of her reforms, later called “Thatcherism,” actually contributed to the improvement of the British economy and the birth of neoliberalism as an ideology. And they were so unpopular that her death, 23 years after her resignation as Prime Minister of Great Britain, was celebrated by hundreds of people. However, even her resignation from the post of prime minister in 1990 provoked not only a storm of delight among the British who were dissatisfied with her reforms, but even a split within her party.
The “Iron Lady” received even more mixed reviews in the USSR and Russia. She considered herself one of the main architects of the US victory in the Cold War and was perhaps the most implacable ideological enemy of the Soviet Union.
It was she who was the first to understand the possibility of a “constructive dialogue” with M.S. Gorbachev. Thatcher always claimed that she hated not the Soviet country itself, not ordinary Soviet people, but communism as a political and economic system. At the same time, her attitude towards the Russian Empire, the USSR, and modern Russia, described in her memoirs, cannot be called anything other than Russophobic.
Despite the ideologically verified “megaphone diplomacy”, Thatcher pursued a completely pragmatic and extremely inconvenient foreign policy for the Soviet Union in the spirit of Benjamin Disraeli and Winston Churchill.
After leaving the post of Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher came to Russia several times. The picture of devastation and social degradation seen there in the mid-1990s. firmly assured her that Russia “will not become a free country for a long time” (by British standards, of course). The response to this attitude is clearly visible in how cautious Russian officials reacted to her death.
There is no alternative
One of Thatcher’s favorite opening lines of numerous public speeches was the phrase that there was supposedly “no alternative” to this or that government reform. Therefore, British journalists named it after the first letters of this expression TINA (There is no alternative).
Thus, a no-alternative situation arose in the Conservative camp after the Tories’ severe defeat from Labor, when the defeat in the February 1974 elections was supplemented by humiliation in October, when the Conservatives lost even more votes. All this turned into an almost year-long crisis and the threat of a split in the Conservative Party. The fall of party leader Edward Heath, who had lost three campaigns (in 1966 and two in 1974) and won only one (in 1970), became inevitable.
In this situation, the moment of coming to leadership in the party turned out to be extremely successful for Margaret. Thatcher managed to gain support primarily from backbenchers, most of whom were representatives of the “middle class” like her. The withdrawal of influential candidates of ideological allies in her favor also played a role. And most importantly, within six months Thatcher showed herself at parliamentary debates as an excellent orator and a highly qualified specialist in the field of finance. All this led to the fact that in two rounds Thatcher consistently knocked out first Heath, then her competitors - supporters of the former leader. The Conservative Party has a female leader for the first and only time in its history.
Initially, Thatcher's efforts focused on mobilizing the electorate and developing a new ideological program for the party. Unlike moderate conservatives like Heath, Thatcher proposed a return to the traditional conservative values of the golden “Victorian” age, supplementing them with some liberal innovations.
Reducing taxes by cutting social spending, supporting small and medium-sized businesses, and privatizing most state-owned enterprises - all of which she briefly characterized as anti-collectivism - became the basis of her election program.
These demands were all the more popular in conditions of sharply decreased economic growth (in Britain there were no reasons for the “economic miracle” that arose among other powers), mass dissatisfaction of the British with the foreign policy of essentially no longer Great Britain, but Little England, the energy crisis of 1973, the animal fear of the “middle class” of the radicalized leftist youth who went on rampage in the events of 1968.
The mobilization of the electorate has borne fruit. Thatcher successfully won parliamentary elections three times in a row: in 1979, 1983 and 1987. At the same time, she skillfully used the political situation. The “Iron Lady,” having become prime minister, dissolved parliament twice a year before the expiration of her five-year term, and the elections themselves were held for the first time against the backdrop of the successfully completed Falklands War, and the second time against the backdrop of the success of economic reforms and a decline in unemployment.
Conservative values became popular largely because Thatcher actively began to use populist slogans and meet with ordinary party members. Unlike previous party bigwigs from aristocratic circles, she always positioned herself as a person from the “common people.” Thatcher skillfully used the image of a thrifty housewife to explain her economic reforms. So, having become the head of government, she reduced her salary to the level of an ordinary cabinet minister. Thatcher took an extremely militant position in relation to the top bureaucrats - the traditionally non-political layer of managers who implement government decisions. All these populist measures led to even workers believing in the ideals of anti-collectivism, including the need to reduce the power of trade unions.
At the same time, the woman prime minister, the leader of the Conservative Party, was not very favored by many representatives of the “cream” of society.
Thus, Thatcher did not enjoy the support of recognized tycoons of British industry. Accustomed to government subsidies and cooperation with trade unions, they tried to torpedo a number of her bills aimed at cutting government spending. On the contrary, representatives of financial circles supported the “iron lady” in almost everything.
Meanwhile, among the intelligentsia, among students and even priests, Thatcher was always considered one of the worst personifications of businessmen, as if she had stepped out of the pages of the novels of Charles Dickens. For the first time since the post-war period, Oxford University refused to give the Prime Minister an honorary doctorate. The rock group Pink Floyd in one of their songs placed “Maggie”... in a madhouse along with Churchill and other “incurable tyrants” - Napoleon, Hitler, Brezhnev, Reagan. Church hierarchs openly called the reduction in social spending “the policy of poverty” and “genocide.”
On the other hand, Thatcher contributed greatly to the support of economic research. The theory of monetarism she supported, based on the works of famous Nobel laureates in economics Friedrich Hayek (1974) and Milton Friedman (1976), was embodied in a strategy that was later succinctly called “Thatcherism.”
All opponents are communists
Margaret Thatcher's toughness and perseverance are legendary. Not surprising, because she did not disdain the most spectacular and irreconcilable statements. Things got to the point where she accused quite respectable Labor members, as well as European Social Democrats... of communism. And those who went on strike in 1984-1985. compared the miners to enemies from outside (meaning the Argentines), with whom “it is more difficult to fight and who pose an even greater danger to freedom.”
But ideological rigidity skillfully alternated in Thatcher’s policies with flexible pragmatism. The most striking example in this regard, of course, is relations with the Soviet Union. However, first of all, in the Soviet Union they managed to notice only the first feature and missed the second.
By the way, the expression “iron lady” came to M. Thatcher from the USSR. The fact is that she was first called this phrase in the newspaper of the USSR Ministry of Defense “Red Star”, whose journalists translated the epithet “iron maiden” used in relation to the British prime minister in the English newspaper “Daily Mirror”.
Thatcher herself liked this expression so much that she chose the phrase “Britain needs an Iron Lady” as one of the slogans of the 1979 election campaign.
Meanwhile, it was in foreign policy that, despite all her ideological uncompromisingness, Thatcher acted most flexibly. “The Iron Lady” revived the traditions of imperial policy and British isolationism inherent in “insidious Albion” in the 19th - first half of the 20th centuries.
Imperial policy was expressed in the actively conducted Falklands War, essentially forced by Britain, and in the buildup of strategic nuclear weapons. Since Thatcher's time, the "special relationship" with the United States has become even more friendly. This was especially facilitated by mutual friendship with Reagan, who carried out similar economic reforms.
British isolationism characterized relations with the British Commonwealth and the European Economic Community. First, the pragmatic Thatcher considered an outdated institution, which was not far from the truth. And the EEC, like the “Eurobureaucrats” in general, seemed hostile to Thatcher. In her understanding, the European Community should have been limited only to a free trade area, and at best, to a simple customs union. Britain's refusal to expand political integration and sharp criticism of the single currency projects led to the fact that the EEC plunged into the abyss of stagnation in the 1980s, from which it was, in fact, only brought out by Thatcher's departure and the fall of pro-Soviet regimes in Eastern European countries.
After her resignation, Thatcher spoke extremely caustically about the European Union and predicted eternal crises and even unviability for it. In the context of the latest financial crisis in Cyprus, such a prediction does not seem so implausible.
It is noteworthy that, quite in the spirit of British foreign policy after the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, Margaret Thatcher resisted the unification of West and East Germany - an event key to the entire European Economic Community.
Thatcher's attitude towards the Soviet Union was never unambiguously hostile, as left-wing patriots like to portray in Russia, nor openly friendly, as liberals portray it. Of course, being very far from diplomacy, before coming to power Thatcher in her speeches painted a terrifying picture of how the USSR “produces guns instead of butter.”
The innate hatred of collectivism, the Fulton speech of her great idol, and the entire situation of the Cold War of 1945-1962, when a nuclear war seemed quite real to everyone, played a role in this. All these circumstances occurred during Thatcher’s formative years as a politician. But then all the statements of the “Iron Lady” were mainly associated with criticism of Labor as the main internal enemy. Communist and simply leftist ideology seemed to her like a destructive virus that had penetrated the Western world, the main enemy of freedom.
Her hatred of communism reached the point that already in the 2000s. Thatcher did not hesitate to support Pinochet during the famous criminal trial in 1998-2006. Baroness Thatcher hosted the former fascist dictator several times, who immediately supported Britain during the Falklands War. Surely it was she who helped him avoid extradition to Spain for the murder of citizens of this European country, although by that time the conservatives had lost power in parliament and moved into the opposition. She liked Pinochet precisely because he carried out liberal economic reforms. What price the Chilean people paid for this - she, in essence, did not care.
By the way, the same view of Pinochet and the need for liberal reforms is still held by the famous reformer of the 1990s and now oppositionist Boris Nemtsov, who is personally acquainted with the “Iron Lady.” However, almost all Russian leaders without exception experienced the influence of Thatcher, and even more so of “Thatcherism”.
It is known that Thatcher sympathized with Gorbachev, Yeltsin (although she criticized him for his addiction to alcohol) and at some point even Putin. True, she was attracted to different qualities in them. If she considered the first two to be ideological allies and, in essence, anti-communists (which was even more true for Yeltsin), then V. Putin aroused her respect as a strong national leader capable of uniting Russia.
In her memoirs, “The Art of Management” (published in Russia in 2003), despite doubts about Vladimir Vladimirovich’s sincere commitment to democratic values due to his past service in the KGB, she positively assesses the Russian leader’s desire to restore order in the country.
Here's what she writes about Putin's program: “This program contains many positive aspects. Freedom without order is nothing more than anarchy. While Russian society, economy and politics are deeply criminalized, there is simply no prospect of sustainable recovery. The government of any country must have the strength to carry out basic tasks, especially in view of such colossal obstacles as in Russia.”
It must be said that the Russian president reacted to the death of the “Iron Lady” in a similar vein, calling Margaret Thatcher a “pragmatic, tough and consistent” person. The commentary by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev is also close in meaning, noting that “one can have different attitudes towards her political views, but one cannot help but respect her for her character and political will.” Russian leaders emphasized in the “Iron Lady” exactly those qualities that impressed them and, to some extent, obviously helped shape their own political image. It is no coincidence that Thatcher was almost reproached in Britain for authoritarianism, and now from various radical liberals and leftists the same accusations are heard against the Russian government.
However, it must be emphasized that Thatcher’s influence in the world was not limited only to personal relations with the leaders of the leading world powers. The “Iron Lady” not only contributed to the establishment and strengthening of trust between the Soviet General Secretary (then President of the USSR) M. Gorbachev and US President R. Reagan, but, most importantly, at every opportunity, she most actively defended British interests. For example, she supported the American SDI program (while the British themselves did not invest a penny in it) and at the same time, with all her might, she opposed Gorbachev’s utopian idea of maximum nuclear disarmament. Accustomed to the concept of “mutually assured destruction” and at the same time believing in SDI, Thatcher insisted on signing the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty of 1987, which was actually not beneficial for the USSR. Meanwhile, Soviet operational-tactical missiles, which the Americans were so afraid of , and the Western Europeans, as it turned out later, were actually one of the asymmetric programs in response to Reagan’s “star wars.”
However, much more harm to Russia was caused by the thoughtless copying of “Thatcherism” in the well-known reforms of the early 1990s. This is clearly shown not only by the various (including unimplemented) projects of economic reforms in our country, but also by the respectful attitude towards it of such reformers who managed, as they say, to break the woods, such as A. Chubais, E. Gaidar, as well as the condescending attitude friendly attitude towards the latter by Margaret Thatcher herself. But at the same time, the “Iron Lady” admits in her memoirs that the reason for the failure of economic reforms in Russia was the lack of a clear strategy and the irresponsibility of its leaders, who were politically independent of their subjects.
However, unlike Russia, where the catastrophic results of “shock therapy” and other socio-economic experiments that were cruel to ordinary Russians are gradually being forgotten, the British did not forgive Margaret Thatcher for her radical tax reform.
As a result, Margaret Thatcher found herself in a stalemate in 1990: by that time she had lost the support of voters (her personal rating dropped below 40% and became less than the party’s rating) and the Conservative Party itself (the question of electing a new party leader arose). The Tories faced the real possibility of losing an election to Labor for the first time in 11 years, a situation in which Margaret Hilda Thatcher was forced to resign as Prime Minister. Only due to this, the Conservatives stayed in power for another seven years, but then Labor interrupted the Tory hegemony for a long time.
Many of Thatcher’s not-so-optimistic predictions about world events, alas, came true.
Thus, the United States continued to deploy a national/global missile defense system in Europe, NATO went through stages of several expansions to the east, Western politicians continued to criticize Russia in the field of human rights and corruption, as well as the policy of counterbalancing Russia’s interests in the CIS. It is now fashionable in the West to recall that Thatcher was, first and foremost, an ideological leader, but little is remembered that she defended not the abstract ideals of the notorious Western civilization, but very specific and pressing British interests. Its policy, primarily foreign, can serve as an example of how one must honestly serve one’s country and achieve one’s goals at any cost.
Special for the Centenary
For many of us, the real power of the current government is in question. Almost every person has thought at least once about who controls the world in reality, because behind any power there is always some other powerful organization.
When choosing a government, ordinary people believe that they can influence the course of events, although everything has already been decided long ago. In fact, the highest levels of power in any country are planned, skillful decorations, deliberately created by world rulers for their own purposes.
The most mysterious organization, around which there are many legends, is the Society of Freemasons. He is credited with running the global financial system, and some people strongly believe that the United States is not only connected to this organization, but is also controlled by it. These speculations do not have direct evidence, but the fact of the existence of Freemasons and their influence on the international economy cannot be denied.
The desire of secret dynasties for world domination can be traced back to ancient times. However, it was only after the end of World War II that they created a powerful banking system. With its help, they were able to influence the development of the economies of different countries.
By the way, global economic crises do not occur by chance either. With such powerful levers of control in their hands, secret organizations can influence the policies of any state.
You can trace a clear hierarchy of world domination, which consists of 5 steps:
- Central control core. It consists of several people who are given supernatural abilities to communicate with the Higher Mind.
- The richest families and dynasties on the planet. They manage the main circulation of funds; government representatives of most countries are subordinate to them. According to their plans, wars or large-scale economic crises occur.
- Famous financiers, sheikhs, kings, presidents.
- Political officials, big businessmen, leaders of religious societies.
- FBI, police, GRU, army.
These 5 levels of government have a direct impact on humanity, although they constitute only 10% of the total mass of people. The remaining 90% are ordinary inhabitants of the earth who live their own lives, and most of them are not at all interested in the question of who really rules the world.
The Rockefellers are the most famous financial magnates
The Rockefeller dynasty consists of politicians, bankers, financiers, and industrialists. Its origins lie with John Rockefeller, who founded the Standard Oil oil company in 1870. He became famous after becoming the first dollar billionaire on Earth.
He achieved success and great wealth thanks to the increased demand for petroleum products. Rockefeller gained power and authority after many years of hard work. He pursued an aggressive takeover policy, during which he bought the companies of his competitors, ruined them, created large concerns from several small ones and actually created a monopoly.
John Rockefeller was involved in charity work, financing medical institutions and educational institutions. His heir, John Rockefeller Jr., became involved in real estate. His famous office building was Rockefeller Center, and he was also involved in financial activities and was one of the owners of Chase Bank.
Today the head of the dynasty is David Rockefeller, a supporter of globalization and the creation of world governance. He raises such troubling issues as maintaining population levels after natural resources are depleted, advocating for a clean environment, and maintaining a leadership position in business. The Rockefellers are at the head of the following companies:
- Xerox
- Pfizer
- Boeing
- Exxon Mobil (oil concern)
- New York Life (insurance company)
Many attributed to the family a connection with the Freemasons and control of the world. One thing is clear - these are special people who were able to build and maintain their fortune even in difficult periods and influence the financial and banking systems of the whole world.
Rothschilds - financiers who rule the world
The founder of the dynasty was Meyer Rothschild. The Rothschilds created business relationships and influenced the decisions of royal families, bankers, and financiers. The activities of Nathan Rothschild, one of Meyer's sons, include the sale of gold and the supply of raw materials for certain types of industry. As a result, the Rothschild financial empire became the largest creditor of many European countries even during the wars involving Napoleon.
Clever, well-thought-out moves that were several steps ahead of their rivals, and a well-regulated system for transmitting and receiving information allowed the family to make successful financial decisions and increase their wealth. The Rothschild Empire is one of the initiators of the creation of the American Federal Reserve System.
Many consider this family to be supporters of the “Jewish conspiracy” and attribute unimaginable legends and bloody stories to it. But taking a sober look at the history of the dynasty, it becomes clear that these people are successful businessmen who were somehow able to win the trust of many countries.
It remains unknown until the end what their goal is - to control the world or to destroy it. And if the power over the world is truly concentrated in their hands, everyone else can only hope that they will make their efforts to preserve and strengthen it, so that people can live in peace.
Families that rule the world
The list of the richest and most influential people on the planet is headed by three dynasties: the Slim family, Gates and Buffett.
Until recently, no one knew Carlos Slim Helu. But he managed to quickly burst into the world of wealth and even oust its leader, Bill Gates.
Contrary to legends, Slim did not make his fortune from scratch. The initial capital was an inheritance from his father in the amount of $400 million. For many years, he was engaged in buying up bankrupt enterprises and giving them new life, turning them into super-profitable businesses. For this they began to call him Midas - in honor of the famous mythical king who turns everything into gold. Today his capital is estimated at $68 billion.
The Gates family is worth about $62 billion. The Microsoft founder actively invests in politics - he funds the US Democratic Party and is involved in charity work.
Some envious people claim that Gates' company makes huge profits due to its monopoly position in the global market. The American government not only does nothing to correct the situation, but also acts on the world market as a kind of representative of Microsoft.
Warren Buffett founded his first investment firm in 1956, successfully turning its initial capital from $100,000 into $7 million. He then bought shares of Berkshire's fading textiles company and quickly turned it into a profitable company.
His investment portfolio is replenished with shares of Gillette, Coca-Cola, McDonalds, American Express, Walt Disney, etc. Today, Buffett's fortune is estimated at $44 billion.
Who is at the helm of government?
The lion's share of the world's wealth, about 80%, is earned by 1,318 companies. They are headed by 147 major corporations, a significant part of which are financial entities and banks of the Federal Reserve of America.
Steve Jobs, Henry Ford, George Soros, Donald Trump – everyone knows the names of famous and influential people today. Do they all really rule the world?
Opinions differ between two categories of people. Some believe that:
Like all wealthy families, these dynasties have a profound influence on the global economy as a whole. They develop new industries, invest in innovations and inventions, donate money to charity and can defend their personal interests at the government level.
Most likely, these names and the history of the creation of their wealth are an example of how to build and save your business, resorting to the correct establishment of all processes and connections. After all, their main trump card is an accurate understanding of the situation and the ability to analyze information resources, directing them in the right direction.
No wonder they say:
Whoever owns information has the power to rule the world.
Perhaps this is the main secret of the success and prosperity of these powerful families. But attributing to them control of the world and the desire for dominance remains controversial.
Supporters of the other side hold completely different views. Although the modern world is a very complex system that could be controlled by several people, still for various reasons and, having strong evidence for this, many people are sure that this is exactly the case...