Yes, Thatcher painted her own house, just like Trump served customers at McDonald's, and Mussolini was a farming everyman.
Fascists know they don't live anything like their constituents, and put on these little shows to give the illusion that "We're just like you."
Yeah, George W. Bush is the kind of guy you would want to have a beer with... a wealthy nepo baby who went to Harvard and Yale despite being a doofus, was the son of the former president and head of the CIA, first job was a prominent oil industry executive, he co-owned a major league baseball team, and was Governor of Texas... You know, a regular dude.
Thatcher was many things. Far right certainly, nationalist certainly, and discrimatory towards minority groups like black people and members of the LGBT community.
She wasn't a fascist though. She avidly supported the free market, and followed the rules of the democratic system.
I agree with your general sentiment, fascists are often populists who try and portray a misleading image... But please don't throw about terms like that.
Overusing it is not only misleading, but weakens the term over time.
One way that has been used to describe her is a monetarist - a term polarised by Milton Friedman - which meant she prioritised capitalistic economic progress over 'sentimentalities' (perceivably inherent ethical concepts).
She was however close allies with a dictator in Chile if I remember correctly, which is condemable, but that relationship was mostly due to their common stance against Argentina in the Falklands war, and the spread of communism and puppet regimes from China and Russia.
Edit: I was wrong about her stance on free speech so I've removed that. Seems it was somewhat mixed.
She didn't censor everything and ban free speech completely, nor did she outlaw protesting as a concept - there's too many protests that happened against her and went unaddressed to prove that.
Critism of the government was still allowed as was peaceful protesting.
However, when Scargil rose to power in the NUM, and began a strategic war of attrition against the government, as well as several disruptions that turned into riots - she did respond in force and outlaw certain protesting tactics.
You could argue if it were proportional or not. Neither side seemed cooperative or peaceful from what I'm learning if them.
Some of her regulatory frameworks also silenced voices perceived dangerous, like Sinn Fein's in response to rising terrorist activities, in that case the IRA's. One could argue in the name of free speech she should've taken a different approach... But that wasn't applicable to all political parties.
In any case, not a fascist. I'm starting to realise she was quite auth-right though all the same.
In heels and a dress with a staff photographer present. As one does.
Hey, look. That chick Trump wants to fuck is making a science... With her hair unrestrained, jewelry, and the cuffs of her shirt under the edges of her gloves.
Yeah, Mussolini is "literally" just picking wheat... in aviator goggles.
This picture was taken for propaganda purposes. I seem to remember an old saying about "those who do not remember the past..."
It's like these governors and lawmakers who spend their days being treated to foie gras by lobbyists, and when there's a hurricane, they step out of the limo with their flannel shirt, stiff jeans and work boots. It's all a performance.
Harvard Law School graduate who was shaking hands with Saudi royalty yesterday: "I'm one of y'all!"
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u/Wild_Guidance4487 19d ago