Always Right

by Niall Ferguson

In ALWAYS RIGHT historian Niall Ferguson offers a characteristically original, incisive and witty account of Margaret Thatcher's reign – the word seems appropriate – as British Prime Minister. Denounced by her enemies as divisive and dictatorial, Thatcher was the greatest leader Britain has produced since Winston Churchill. The standard bearer for a decisive economic regime-change, she was also a social revolutionary who shook up the stagnant English class system. Yet she was a foreign policy realist, who restored her country’s standing in the world. And far from being an over-bearing prime minister, she ultimately fell victim to the machinations of Cabinet government. ALWAYS RIGHT is a fittingly frank assessment of a great woman who made history.

Niall Ferguson is the Laurence A. Tisch Professor of History at Harvard University, a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, and a Senior Research Fellow at Jesus College, Oxford. He has published fourteen books, including The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World, Civilization: The West and the Rest and, most recently, The Great Degeneration: How Institutions Decay and Economies Die. An accomplished broadcaster, in 2009 he won the International Emmy for Best Documentary. In 2010 he won the Benjamin Franklin Award for Public Service and in 2012 the Hayek Prize for Lifetime Achievement.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Politics, European History, Economics, Political Science

34 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 16, 2013

About the author

Niall Ferguson is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, former Laurence A. Tisch Professor of History at Harvard University and current senior fellow at the Center for European Studies at Harvard University, a visiting professor at Tsinghua University, Beijing, and founder and managing director of advisory firm Greenmantle LLC.

The author of 15 books, Ferguson is writing a life of Henry Kissinger, the first volume of which--Kissinger, 1923-1968: The Idealist--was published in 2015 to critical acclaim. The World's Banker: The History of the House of Rothschild won the Wadsworth Prize for Business History. Other titles include Civilization: The West and the Rest, The Great Degeneration: How Institutions Decay and Economies Die and High Financier: The Lives and Time of Siegmund Warburg.

Ferguson's six-part PBS television series, "The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World," based on his best-seller, won an International Emmy for best documentary in 2009. Civilization was also made into a documentary series. Ferguson is a recipient of the Benjamin Franklin Award for Public Service as well as other honors. His most recent book is The Square and the Tower: Networks on Power from the Freemasons to Facebook (2018).

(Source: Amazon)

Reviews

[Петър Стойков · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ако през 1975 година някой беше казал на британците, че през новия век Великобритания ще е една сред най-мощните икономики в света, а Лондон - център на световните финансови пазари, щеше да го изпроводи само сърдечен, но тъжен смях и може би няколко метнати по него гнили ябълки.

Найл Фъргюсън израства като тийнейджър-пънкар точно през този период и много добре си спомня отчаянието на хората от непрестанните парализиращи страната стачки, неефективните държавни предприятия, усещането за неизбежен провал пред могъщия СССР в студената война.

Настоящата книга е кратък, но много емоционален, а и фактологичен опус за управлението на Желязната лейди Маргарет Тачър, която не само извежда Великобритания от продължилата от Втората световна война дотогава икономическа и социална криза, но практически еднолично и собственоръчно прокарва непопулярни, болезнени реформи, за да я върне на световната сцена икономически и политически.

Малко хора си спомнят Великобритания отпреди Маргарет Тачър, главно защото са възприели постигнатото от нея за даденост, която я е имало винаги. Много хора, особено в академичните и профсъюзните среди ненавиждат Тачър, защото подсъзнателно знаят, но не искат да признаят даже пред себе си, че тя бе права за почти всичко, което казваше, а те самите грешаха и продължават да грешат.

В контекста на съвремието, да си спомним управлението на първата жена и един от най-успешните премиери на Великобритания е особено релевантно, предвид предстоящия Брексит и нейното мнение за Европейската общност и общата валута (виж великолепната й реч в Брюж от '88, има я на български), а описанието на обстановката и духовното отчаяние на хората на острова е болезнено подобно на настроенията в момента в САЩ преди президентските избори.

[Carmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up in the 80's, and I thought all the politicians would always be like Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan. How mistaken I was.

Reading this short essay has reminded me once more how great Maggie was, and how socialists, communists, trade unionists and other assortment of "-ists" hated (and still hate) her for being what they utterly despise: a champion of freedom, a defender of the individual, a hard worker and a woman of character and principles.

How do I miss her. How glad I am that Mr. Ferguson, one of my favourite historians, shares my views. Great read.

[Paul Curd · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thankfully short and laugh-out-loud ridiculous in places, a right-wing panegyric to the Blessed Margaret...

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very brief, but interesting and engaging read. Nice counterpoint to some of the negative Thatcher commentary recently. And, a Glaswegian Thatcherite? Rare breed!

[Piotr Buczek · Rating 2 out of 5]

Highly biased view of history (from a perspective of a non-British reader).

I hoped that it would be an easy to read, objective summary about the Iron Lady, with some not-well-known/forgotten reasons why she should be praised... but as it's from a historian it should also be full of cause-and-effect facts about her impact, and in the end prove that she did 'save Britain' as the subtitle says. Maybe with some additional information one could agree with this 'saving Britain' statement, but for me there's hardly anything that ratifies it in the book itself.

The 4th chapter - "End of Society" - is especially poor in reasoning. Ferguson puts it as if all the changes in British society that happened since 80s were an effect of Tatcher's ruling, ignoring all external factors, such as parallel changes happening in US, or other European countries (it would be interesting to know e.g. if they changed at the same pace, earlier, or later than Britain - without this there can be no proof of any impact she had on the changes). He just lists various statistics about things that changed between then and now, and claims that it's thanks to Tatcher... I don't want to argue if she had a huge impact on those changes or not, but it just doesn't feel right looking at today's politicians. Society changes disregarding what politicians think or do. The change is often in the other direction - society causes politicians to change their attitude towards various topics. Maybe it wasn't like that with Tatcher, but again - nothing about that in the chapter.

In other chapters he looks at a few political decisions in more detail, and writes in a highly opinionated fashion about what was right and what was wrong - it feels like it is way to soon to judge it, and the judgement is not unequivocal...

I think I stopped believing in anything written in the book after the 4th chapter, as I imagined that there could be a book about the former or the current Polish Prime Minister written in the same style now, in 5 or 10 years by a biased supporter, and it would have no historical value at all. Reading the book left a bad impression about Tatcher for me, even though it was meant to be a clear praise. The statements in the book feel arrogant, strengthening arrogance of some of the quotes from her, such as the one where she claimed that she's the onpy one who could save Britain. And after reeding it I feel like what he Ferguson wrote in the preface, about despising the "great man theory of history" as an approach that was taught to historians of his generation, might in fact be the right approach, as he failed to be credible in his attempt to contrast it. I'd be much more into reading a book that started with such an approach, but proved on various occasions that it wasn't just the society/party that has driven the change.

I give a 2nd star for his quote of a great dialog from The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, about Forces of Anarchy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nxo0f.... It made my day, and announced an interesting read, but in the end the book didn't live up to the expectation.

[Chinook · Rating 1 out of 5]

So, the other day while I was bored at work I one-clicked away on a bunch of Kindle Singles and this was one of them. I didn't put much thought into any of these purchases, and so I was a bit startled when I realized that this was a book praising Thatcher - I guess I thought the title was a joke.

Anyway, it does the mind good to read something you don't agree with every once in a while, though I will admit to being glad that this is something I almost totally polished off on my short commute to and from work yesterday. It only gets 1 star because it really didn't provide much background about her at all - what are wet and dry Tories, for example? Though the Kindle Singles format might allow some generosity in expectations for providing a lot of background knowledge, I'm not finding this problem mirrored in the others I downloaded, just this one.

I must admit, my mind was chanting "Thatcher, Thatcher milk snatcher" asI read.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

After recently finishing the latest season of “The Crown” I was blown away by Gillian Anderson’s portrayal of Margaret Thatcher . I was excited to find this little mini-bio about her and enjoyed reading it.

[Fortunato Russo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short but very interesting book about Thatcher’s passage in Britain’s government. An excellent work.

[Bojan Tunguz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Margaret Thatcher has become one of the foremost icons of the twentieth century. The first female British prime minister and one of the longest-serving prime ministers in Britain, she had acquired the reputation of unwavering dedication to the core conservative principles, and a steadfast way of implementing them through the public policy. Internationally she is also known, with Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II, as one of the main actors throughout the last decade of the Cold War that brought the end to the European Communism. It is exactly her firm and unapologetic repudiation of Communism in all of its forms that had earned her the moniker “Iron Lady” by her Soviet critics.

That passing of Margaret Thatcher earlier this year marked the end of an era. It also marked the revival of the many debates concerning her influence, policies and legacy that have been dormant for a while. This short Kindle Single, written by one of her most ardent admirers, is an attempt to put into a perspective many of the key aspects of her life and career. It is a fairly personal account that also manages to provide a wealth of information that many of us have forgotten, or were not as keenly aware of.

Even though Thatcher’s changes have had enormous impact on the UK policies and life, they have always had their more than fair share of detractors. Many of her critics to this day are all too eager to point to some failure – real or contrived – of her policies. However, as this short Kindle Single rightly points out, it’s neither fair nor intellectually honest to criticize an essentially right-wing politician along the metrics of the left-wing desiderata. What her opponents to this day consider to be her biggest failures are still things that have garnered her an enduring admiration on the right.

Nonetheless, Baroness Thatcher did have her share of failures and setbacks, something that she herself was always more than willing to acknowledge. Some of those were apparent while she was still working at 10 Downing Street, while the others are the unintended consequences of her policies that have only become obvious in the recent yeas. It’s these latter ones that this Kindle Single zeroes in. The gradual but unmistakable deterioration of the British social fabric can in a large measure be attributed to the unbridled individualism that has come to dominate the country’s way of thinking and can be traced to the economic and social changes in the 80s. In that light the title of this Single, “Always Right,” is not without its small share of irony.

This is a very well-written and timely short introduction to the Iron Lady. It’s a much-needed reminder of her greatest accomplishments and legacy.

[Peter Gregoire · Rating 5 out of 5]

What emerges from Ferguson’s analysis in ‘Always Right’ is a reminder of how Margaret Thatcher was the political version of Marmite. You either loved her or hated her. Ferguson unapologetically pins his colours the former’s mast. In his view, she was as much a saviour of her country as Winston Churchill.

Her style of politics was confrontational and, as Ferguson emphasizes, how she gloried in it. In confrontation, she forced through tough policies which, for better or worse changed the face of British society forever: from reducing the power of the trade unions, to privatization, to the sale of council houses, to the Falklands.

An interesting point, however, is how in the end – instead of running cabinets as a dictator (as was portrayed at the time) – Thatcher became an isolated figure in government, eventually succumbing to the views of a cabinet full of Europhiles. The lady who was not for turning, in the end was forced to pivot by ministers on the issue of the Exchange Rate Mechanism. Indeed, it was in this conflict that the seeds were sewn for her eventual downfall. So much for being a Dictator!

Although Niall Ferguson is a historian, I would not classify “Always Right” as being a work of history. It serves as the author’s very personal opinion on Thatcher and her achievements and, indeed, on the impact that she had on the author himself. In Thatcher, Ferguson saw an almost iconoclastic figure whom he reflected in his own demeanour and life and views as an opinionated punk young Tory. “Always Right” is, therefore, as much autobiography as it is biography. In this, I found the read highly revealing because it does demonstrate just how transformational Thatcher actually was on British society. Everybody in Britain had a strong opinion about her and was impacted by her at a very personal level, in a way that simply does not happen with British leaders nowadays. This, I found, to be the most important aspect of Thatcher, brought to the fore by Ferguson’s work.

As such, it is well worth a read, with that context in mind.

[Roberto Charvel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Reading and trying to sympathize with a self professed right wing historian has never been more difficult. I tried as this is not an ordinary historian, but the author of incredible books like “The ascent of money”, or “The West and the rest”. Also, because I am neither right or left wing.

Few scholars have been blessed in teaching at Harvard or Oxford, Ferguson has taught at Harvard, Stanford, Oxford and Cambridge sometimes the same year. This probably describes his credentials.

However, I was struck when he called himself a soldier (referring himself to his early years in journalism) and calling Rupert Murdoch his general. Yes, Murdoch from Fox and Friends Murdoch.

I can’t still understand how such a great historian may have lost his way. In the many times I have seen him and listened to him over the years, I don’t think that I ever felt further apart from this great writer.

The book is superfluous, vain and self centered on someone who considers to be on the right side of history.

This is too short of a book and too shallow. Little does the author writes to help us understand how really great Mrs Tatcher was to the UK and the world.

[Bevan Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first "Kindle Single". I like the format - it allows for an extended extended form essay! This is not a dispassionate history of the Thatcher era (the title may give that way) but rather a witty and personal account of her era. He gives a thoroughly awed view of her 'perfect reign'. I guess this is a bit lighthearted, and also reflective of the completely polarised views in the UK on Thatcher's era. Most commentary seems to either claim that she saved Britain from disaster without ever putting a foot wrong, or alternatively that she was up with Hitler and Stalin as the embodiment of the evil that is neoliberalism.
This book might play into that somewhat, although intended to be lighthearted. Like Ferguson's 'Pity of War' it seems to be somewhat mischievously aimed at engendering debate in the vein of his hero AJP Taylor. In that it is effective, and certainly stimulating. For a more comprehensive and nuanced view of the era see Charles Moore's biography (her opponents probably see this as rabidly biased!).

[Linda R. Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A loving tribute to a great lady of our time

This short book gives an account of the important changes that Margaret Thatcher brought to Great Britain during her time as Prime Minister from 1979 through 1990. Niall Ferguson is one of the great historians of out time and he is an excellent observer of the political process that was unfolding during his young adulthood. He makes a very strong case for how critically important one person can be in shaping the history of their time and why Margaret Thatcher is one of those rare individuals who do change our history for the better.

[Craig Stenhouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

But of a thatcher love in

This is clearly a pro thatcher book but is very biased especially for the standards of a modern historian. However interesting points are made about Thatcher's ideology particularly interesting when you have further hindsight with Britain's vote to leave the EU. Although I don't think enough was mentioned about the damage done to working class communities. The claim made that she was "Always right" is definitely a push but a good read for anyone looking to understand the merits of Thatcherism.

[Love · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I saw that one of my favorite historians, Niall Ferguson had written a book about Margaret Thatcher I had to read it. Turns out it was it was what they call a Kindle Single and only 30 pages long. Still an enjoyable read for those who enjoy Ferguson's writing or are fascinated by the Iron Lady, I happen to be both. My main complaint however is that such a short book has to focus on the big picture, instead here mainly a lot of details are discussed.

[Ietrio · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is quite interesting to see, as decades pass, how the departure from those politics just mess things more. Of course, the opposition is made of dogmatists, so all they need is a scapegoat: dark skinned people renamed as Islamists, the Jews renames as the banks, the lack of faith renamed as the capitalism.

[Paul Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit brief and I could have used more background on some of history he assumed the reader knows but then again it is a Kindle single so I shouldn't expect too much. An enjoyable read about a history making woman.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brilliant woman well defended in this book by the British historian. The shame of it is that she needs defending at all. Few people change their world and she undoubtedly changed hers for the better.

[Kevin Greenhalgh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Respect or loathe her, Thatcher did more to change Britain than any other leader, and not always for the best. Broadly this short book tells that truth. A good book for students who want a Thatcherite summary.

[Barry Beaven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before you start the writer is a confirmed Thatcherite and this must be read with that in mind. It is short which is good. I would argue that this is a work of fiction and that any historian can twist the facts but it is an interesting read.

[Doncho Angelov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent essay on Thatcher’s role and contributions as UK’s Prime Minister.

I thought this is a “real book” on Thatcher's life and politics. I was wrong: it turned out to be a short essay. Still good, still to the point.

[Gareth Story · Rating 4 out of 5]

As ever, Niall Ferguson is a compelling and interesting writer. Good summary of Margaret Thatcher's time in office and policies. Short, but enjoyable read.

[Shay · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is no doubt that Margaret Thatcher was one of Britain's most influential prime minsters.

Being a youngester at the time when Margaret became a prime minister, the author is clearly very influenced by this period.

The book lacks details about the actions taken and the politics implemented by Thatcher. It focuses mainly on the economic side of Britain at that time.

The author only compares a number of facts before and after this period without explaining how Margaret influenced these results.

The arrangement of the book is quite messy. It jumps from economics to politics,and then to England's relations to other European countries.

The book is simply written in a way a fan would write about why they love a character rather than a critical account of facts. There is no analysis of the situation of England at that time.

[Jared Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

More an ode than a biography, Ferguson sets out to do one thing and does it well. This is a quick read filled with a rapid fire defense of Thatcherism. And the defense is rather compelling.

However, Ferguson muddies his argument near the end of the book. He subscribes to the great man theory of history, but writes off some of Thatcher's more questionable choices as the product of cabinet dominance.

No politician is perfect, and while this book delves greatly into Thatchers success, I wish it gave more of a thorough investigation into some of her failures.

[Michael Macdonald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Homage to his heroine

Polemical defence of Britain's most divisive Prime Minister that strangely misses the retrograde policies of the current Conservative government. Praising Mrs Thatcher for her attacks on Labour's supporters this shows a deep lack of understanding of what makes society work

[Gavin Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Niall's writing and insights are as sharp as ever, but the book suffers from an unusually high number of typos. Very sloppy for a mainstream publisher.

[Razi · Rating 1 out of 5]

A right-wing ideologue writes in praise of one half of the Neoliberal Demonic Duo (Regan/Thatcher). Quelle surprise!

[Richard Spindle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wasn't she. Mmm.

[rosie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short summary of Thatchers time in power and how she changed Britain, from a Thatcherite perspective

[Andrew Fish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Always right comes across more as a rebuttal than a serious attempt to write a short history. In the wake of Margaret Thatcher's death there was very little actual analysis of what her time as Prime Minister achieved, rather the papers on the right simply waxed lyrical about her perceived triumphs and attacked those who stood against her, whilst those on the left criticised the country she left behind, her character and the "fact" that all the press coverage seemed to be sycophantic praise. Ferguson, perhaps annoyed by some of the myth-making, put this out as a response, the title a deliberate statement of intent - designed to rile her detractors, a group he claims are unlikely to read the piece anyway.

A quick read (it took me about half an hour), the book lays down simply the world in which Margaret Thatcher rose to power, the problems she faced and the changes she made. It dispels some of the oft-repeated myths, such as those around the "no such thing as society" line or the idea that the poll tax was her attack on a misunderstood poor. It's somewhat discursive (surprisingly so for such a short book) but gives a broader, more personal view than, say, a Wikipedia entry.

What it doesn't do, however, is provide any substantive analysis. Taking the poll tax as an example, the book simply uses the case to debunk the myth that Thatcher never listened to her cabinet - there's no attempt to explore the reasons the poll tax came about or the (rather more complex) reasons that it proved so much a problem. Such shallow writing, therefore, is unlikely to shift opinions - a fact borne out by the predictable divide in the Amazon reviews.

In the end, Ferguson's piece seems more a piece of therapy for the writer than a meaningful contribution to any debate. Those who were implacably opposed to the Iron Lady would probably assume she'd have looked favourably on his enterprisingly releasing it for sale, but I'm not so sure. Those looking for a more thorough analysis of the ground may find some interest in the official biography, but since this is likely to be equally partisan they are more likely to be satisfied by Dominic Sandbrook when he releases the next volume or two in his history of post-war Britain.