'Thatcherism', as attitude of mind and style of action, has dominated the agenda and tone of British politics during the 1980s. Supporters and critics alike have acknowledged the bold scope of the campaign launched by the Prime Minister 'to change the heart and soul' of the nation. Here nine contributors, of differing political persuasion, come together to offer a variety of approaches to, and conclusions about, 'the Thatcher Phenomenon'. Their essays review the concept of Thatcherism; its impact on the Conservative Party and on the forces of Opposition; its effect on Cabinet government and on society at large; its significance in terms of economic and foreign policy; and the validity of the claim that its record entitles it to enjoy some truly historic status.
Kenneth Robert Minogue was an Australian academic and political theorist. Long residing in the United Kingdom, Minogue was a prominent part of the intellectual life of British conservatism.
Associated for much of his career with the London School of Economics, where he was Professor of Political Science from 1984 to 1995, he was described as a central figure in a group of prominent conservative philosophers and commentators at the LSE that included Maurice Cranston, Elie Kedourie, and William Letwin.