Margaret Thatcher, the first woman to serve as Britain's prime minister, passed away Monday, but her wisdom and achievements will live forever in the hearts and minds of fans.
Thatcher earned the nickname "Iron Lady," thanks to her uncompromising politics and leadership style. She served as prime minister for 11 years.
Here are some of her most memorable words delivered during her career.
Margaret Thatcher
(October 13, 1925-April 8, 2013)
Ten of the Best Margaret Thatcher Quotes:
1. "If a Tory does not believe that private property is one of the main bulwarks of individual freedom, then he had better become a socialist and have done with it." Daily Telegraph, 19752. "Socialist governments traditionally do make a financial mess. They always run out of other people's money. It's quite a characteristic of them." Speech, 1976
3. "Pennies don't fall from heaven; they have to be earned here on earth." Speech, 1979
4. "No one would remember the Good Samaritan if he'd only had good intentions; he had money as well." Weekend World, 1980
5. "I came to office with one deliberate intent: to change Britain from a dependent to a self-reliant society - from a give-it-to-me to a do-it-yourself nation. A get-up-and-go, instead of a sit-back-and-wait-for-it Britain."Speech, 1984
6. "My policies are based not on some economics theory, but on things I and millions like me were brought up with: an honest day's work for an honest day's pay; live within your means; put by a nest egg for a rainy day; pay your bills on time; support the police." The News of the World, Sept. 20, 1981
7. "Defeat-I do not recognize the meaning of the word!" Speech, 1982
8. "Where there is discord, may we bring harmony. Where there is error, may we bring truth. Where there is doubt, may we bring faith. And where there is despair, may we bring hope." Paraphrased quote of St. Francis of Assisi, after Thatcher won election in 1979
9. "We are not asking for a penny piece of Community money for Britain. What we are asking is for a very large amount of our own money back, over and above what we contribute to the Community, which is covered by our receipts from the Community." Press Conference, 1979
10. "The choice facing the nation is between two totally different ways of life. And what a prize we have to fight for: no less than the chance to banish from our land the dark, divisive clouds of Marxist socialism and bring together men and women from all walks of life who share a belief in freedom." Speech, 1983
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