Margaret Thatcher - 'No such thing as society'

[Purplewitch]

What did she mean by the phrase, 'There is no such thing as society' and does anyone know where the rest of the article can be found? Thanks very much

[JonRB]

"I think we've been through a period where too many people have been given to understand that if they have a problem, it's the government's job to cope with it. 'I have a problem, I'll get a grant.' 'I'm homeless, the government must house me.' They're casting their problem on society. And, you know, there is no such thing as society. There are individual men and women, and there are families. And no government can do anything except through people, and people must look to themselves first. It's our duty to look after ourselves and then, also to look after our neighbour. People have got the entitlements too much in mind, without the obligations. There's no such thing as entitlement, unless someone has first met an obligation."

Prime minister Margaret Thatcher, talking to Women's Own magazine, October 31 1987

i think it is a shame that our Tony doesn't adopt the same attitude then maybe, just maybe, us hardworking taxpayers would no longer have to fund the hundreds of thousands of 'freeloaders' this government is happy to support.

[jno]

she meant there was no such thing as people acting together for what they might perceive as the general interest, only individuals acting in their own interests, probably monetary. This would imply, for instance, that it would be nonsense to expect people to care for the weak or disadvantaged unless they saw some advantage in it for themselves. It's a fairly extreme rightwing view, but not an uncommon one, I believe.

See here for the full quote

[woofgang]

jno, I think that your explanation is not quite correct. She says that it is our duty to look after ourselves, then our neighbours, also no entitlement without obligation. Nort unreasonable statements I think. Its a bit the same as people thinking tnat they can make personal injury insurance claims without there being any other outcome apart from their receiving a cheque, because its not the person or company claimed against who pays, but the insurance company!!

[NiceCupOfTea]

Interesting, each for themselves and stuff the poor sod on the bottom rung who everyone else is stepping on to make their quick buck....

[Loosehead]

No Nicecup what whe meant was, don't Be poor, Don't rely on the state. The state should be as small. as possible not the vast amorphorism we have today regulating our lives.

[geo0939]

What she was saying, to my mind, was, man mind thyself and let the devil take the hindmost.

Loosehead, did you mean amorphism; without shape or form, having no recognizable character or style?