The Political Rhetoric And Oratory Of Margaret Thatcher

This book examines the political oratory, rhetoric and persona of Margaret Thatcher as a means of understanding her justifications for ‘Thatcherism’. The main arenas for consideration are set piece speeches to conference, media engagements, and Parliamentary orations. Thatcher’s rhetorical style is analysed through the lens of the Aristotelian modes of persuasion (ethos, pathos, logos). Furthermore, the classical methods of oratorical engagement (deliberative, epidictic, judicial) are employed to consider her style of delivery. The authors place her styles of communication into their respective political contexts over a series of noteworthy issues, such as industrial relations, foreign policy, economic reform, and party management. By doing so, this distinctive book shines new light on Thatcher and her political career.

Margaret Thatcher, prime minister between 1979 and 1990, was and continues to be a hugely divisive figure in Britain. Her influence on British politics has long outlived her, with the Conservative Party becoming steadily more Thatcherite than it was under her leadership, especially on economic issues. Policies that support privatization, curbs on trade unions and employment rights (to promote further labour market flexibility), reduction in welfare provision, the replacement of collectivism with individualism, and the marketization of public services, including the NHS and education, are all Thatcherism in practice, and still continue today. Peter Dorey offers a lively analysis of how Thatcherism became an ideology for politics to conjure with, its relationship with its eponymous leader and with the Conservative Party, as well as the long-term implications for the British people. He argues that the radical modernization of Britain that started under Thatcher's leadership in the 1980s has created the conditions that have led to the polarization of British society today; a process that was profoundly unconservative in its values and approach, destabilizing institutions which Conservatives once deemed sacrosanct, and replacing continuity and solidity with constant change and competition.

This collection of Margaret Thatcher's words contains extracts from her speeches over four decades and lasts for more than two and a half hours. The first CD contains more than 30 extracts, including The Lady's Not for Turning, No No No and Where there is discord.... The second CD contains longer extracts from three speeches, including her famous No Confidence Debate Speech in November 1990 when she famously declared I'm enjoying this, I'm enjoying this.... The package includes a 16 page booklet explaining the context to each speech.

Thatcherism produced dramatic changes in most aspects of public life, both in Britain and abroad. This work surveys the origins and impact of Thatcherism as a cultural construct and an economic creed. Centering on the career of Margaret Thatcher, the author argues that Thatcherism was a bold experiment in ideologically driven government which failed to meet its objectives.

The Anatomy of Thatcherism explains how, for the first time in British history, a prime minister's name has become an 'Ism'—a symbol of a profound social change. Letwin argues that Thatcherism promoted a moral agenda rather than an economic doctrine or a political theory in order to achieve a fundamental realignment in British politics. She introduces a new term—"the vigorous virtues"—to describe what Thatcherites have aimed to cultivate in Individual Britons and In the country as a whole. Her definition of Thatcherism is supported by a detailed analysis of the principal Thatcherite policies and the grounds on which they were advocated and opposed, Inside and outside the Conservative Party. Without departing from a lucid and lively style or resorting to technical jargon. Dr. Letwin explains such innovations as schools opting out, budget holding by GPs, and the creation of the first ever competitive spot market in electricity. Just how did the Thatcherite administrations shape the reform of the unions? How is the Thatcherite attitude to the family connected with Thatcherite policies on schools? Why does mon-etarism appear—wrongly—to be at the heart of Thatcherism? The Anatomy of Thatcherism is a bold and searching book about how Britain changed between 1979 and 1992. It challenges many truisms about British politics, and Is indispensable reading both for those who believe in the future relevance of Thatcherism and for those who want to demolish it. And it will be of particular interest to those con-cerned with the history of British politics, as It shows how Thatcherism both arose out of, and confronted, trends that had per-meated Conservatism for the entire twentieth century.

The political legacy of the Thatcher government endures today. Many contend that New Labour would not exist had it not been for Margaret Thatcher. This book gives an insight into the style of the Thatcher administration and draws fascinating conclusions.

This inspirational and practical guide for conservatives combines stories from Lady Thatcher’s life with principles and strategies conservatives can apply to their challenges today. Nile Gardiner and Stephen Thompson outline the critical lessons conservatives can learn from Lady Thatcher on articulating conservative principles to a broader audience, cutting through bureaucratic messes to achieve goals, and standing up to aggressive regimes.

This book examines the power and possibilities of public speaking, ranging from the oratory of the Athenian law courts to the political oratory of New Labour. A distinctive feature of the book is its conception of the orator as a performer and practitioner, and of oratory itself as a form of action. Historically, the power of eloquence to rouse and influence an audience made the orator a controversial figure whose rhetorical skills provoked suspicion and awe in almost equal measure. These essays show how orators exploit those skills in their attempts to shape the external world of opinion and fact. They also show how the speech itself may be considered as a linguistic event or "way of happening" which seeks to bind the orator and the audience in prized moments of connection.