Introduction

Abstract

The introduction traces the key moments of Margaret Thatcher’s political career, connecting her policies to the various personae that she adopted or was given. It then examines the shift to a more personal and sympathetic approach to Thatcher after her resignation. The introduction establishes the theoretical framework for the volume; it considers the relationship between private and public in relation to Carole Pateman’s theory of the sexual contract and connects this to issues of gender through Heather Nunn’s reading of Thatcher’s performance of femininity.