We simply cannot delegate the exercise of mercy and generosity to others. Margaret Thatcher More Quotes by Margaret Thatcher More Quotes From Margaret Thatcher The legal system we have and the rule of law are far more responsible for our traditional liberties than any system of one man one vote. Any country or Government which wants to proceed towards tyranny starts to undermine legal rights and undermine the law. Margaret Thatcher rightsmencountry I like Mr Gorbachev, we can do business together. Margaret Thatcher businesstogetherwar I usually make up my mind about a man in ten seconds, and I very rarely change it. Margaret Thatcher changeleadershipmen Our aim is to make tax collecting a declining industry. Margaret Thatcher taxestaxationcollecting Tyranny must not prevail. Margaret Thatcher tyranny I do believe that political arrangements which are based upon violence, intimidation and theft will eventually break down - and will deserve to do so. Margaret Thatcher down-andpoliticalbelieve We need to create a mood where it is everywhere thought morally right for as many people as possible to acquire capital. Margaret Thatcher moodpeopleneeds When government does its job properly people are free to do theirs. Margaret Thatcher governmentjobspeople You and I come by road or rail, but economists travel on infrastructure. Margaret Thatcher infrastructureeconomisttravel Political success is a good deal pleasanter than political failure, but it too brings its problems. Margaret Thatcher politicspoliticalproblem I had the patriotic conviction that, given great leadership of the sort I heard from Winston Churchill in the radio broadcasts to which we listened, there was almost nothing that the British people could not do. Margaret Thatcher great-leadershippatrioticpeople There are dangers in consensus: it could be an attempt to satisfy people holding no particular views about anything. ... No great party can survive except on the basis of firm beliefs about what it wants to do. Margaret Thatcher partyviewspeople Dictators can be deterred, they can be crushed - but they can never be appeased. Margaret Thatcher crusheddictator Geoffrey's personal style was very different from mine. He has a lovely speaking voice, a quiet speaking voice. But at Cabinet we always reported on foreign affairs - we always had this quiet voice. It was so quiet sometimes I had to say 'speak up'. And he gave it in a way which wasn't exactly scintillating. And you know, foreign affairs are interesting. They affect everything that happened to our own way of life, and they are exciting. And so we just diverged. Margaret Thatcher quiet-voicestyleinteresting The virtues prized in free countries are honesty, self-discipline, a sense of responsibility to one's family, a sense of loyalty to one's employer and staff, and a pride in the quality of one's work. And these virtues only flourish in a climate of freedom. Margaret Thatcher honestyloyaltycountry I suppose I was about 20, and a crowd of us had been to a village hop and came back to make midnight cups of coffee. I was in the kitchen helping to dish up and having a fierce argument with one of the boys in the crowd when someone else interrupted to say: 'Of course Margaret, you will go into politics won't you?' I stopped dead. Suddenly it was crystalised for me. I knew. Margaret Thatcher coffeeambitionboys John Gummer just did not have the political clout or credibility to rally the troops. I had appointed him as a sort of nightwatchman, but he seemed to have to sleep on the job. Margaret Thatcher politicalsleepjobs I still want to play in it, maybe when I absolutely think I have no chance of playing in it my view might change but I doubt it because it just doesn't interest me. Margaret Thatcher changeplaythinking If there is one instance in which a foreign policy I pursued met with unambiguous failure, it was my policy on German reunification. Margaret Thatcher reunificationforeign-policymets If someone is confronting our essential liberties, if someone is inflicting injuries and harm, by God I'll confront them! Margaret Thatcher injuryessentialsliberty
