Foreign policy

Better known as the “Iron Lady”, Margaret Thatcher is probably one of the most famous political figures of the 20th century, loved and hated by many, who had a major impact in the internationalpolitics. Thatcher was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from 1979 to 1990, being the first female Prime Minister and being able to serve that position for threeterms1.

On May the 4th of 1979 she arrived at 10 Downing Street (the official residence and office of the First Lord of the Treasury and hence Prime Minister of the United Kingdom2) representing theConservative Party and with the vision of improving the UK’s economy and reducing the role of the State in the economy she felt the need to give the country a major influence in internationalaffairs.

In order to discuss Thatcher’s political decisions in the international arena we have to take into account the alliances that she made while being Prime Minister, Being the most important theone made with Ronald Reagan (the 40th U.S. President and member of the Republican Party3). Reagan became U.S. President in 1980 (taking the office in 1981) and served his country for two terms (endingin 1989). In his 2007 book Nicholas Wapshott called the pair “a political marriage” since when they first met (back in 1975) they found their political views to be almost identical4. Therefore Thatcherhad a big influence in the American international policy and vice versa.

In her 1979 speech Margaret called the 80’s “the dangerous decade”5. One of the first dangers to the UK in internationalaffairs would come in April 1982 when the Argentineans invaded the Falkland Islands. Just one day after of the invasion the “Iron Lady” (term coined by her enemies) sent UK forces to back off theinvaders. With the help of Reagan and Chile’s President (Augusto Pinochet) recaptured the island with the surrender of Argentina the 14th of June. This helped her win the 1983 election. Her second term...