Economy
Her anti-labor stance remains controversial, but Thatcher is credited with reversing England’s post-war economic malaise by cutting a bloated government bureaucracy and aggressively privatizing state-owned industries.
International affairs
Thatcher’s leadership in the Falklands war helped restore Britain’s standing as a military power. She also was the first Western leader to meet with Mikhail Gorbachev, and partnered with President Ronald Reagan to end the Cold War.
Politics
Though Thatcher was often a polarizing figure, her tough persona silenced critics who thought a woman could not effectively lead a major Western nation. Taking office two years before Reagan, she also helped usher in the modern conservative movement.
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