Image and Substance: Margaret Thatcher, Thatcherism, Leadership and Feminism

Abstract

This thesis aims to make a critical examination of the direction of a contemporary female political leader - namely Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. The overarching theme and question of political image and substance will run throughout both the chapterial and holistic discussion levels of this argument. A major theme introduced in this discussion is that despite being the first female leader of Britain, Mrs Thatcher was antagonistic and even harmful to British women and feminism. The purpose of this discussion is to examine Prime Minister Thatcher's leadership. Questions will be asked in the context of determining the extent to which image and substance existed in Mrs Thatcher's political character. This exploration of Mrs Thatcher's character is not simply an implicit study, but it is a detailed examination of her wider political career. An essential goal of this study is to expose the political character of Mrs Thatcher. In order to make this exposition of Mrs Thatcher this discussion will need to draw out and closely examine any comparisons and question whether Mrs Thatcher changed both her political image and substance from the time when she initially entered politics to the period when she became leader of the Opposition and Prime Minister of Britain during the 1970 and 1980's.