Was [Mrs] Thatcher right?" In general, I think she was.

As to the now notorious quote (talking to Women's Own magazine, October 31 1987), it's not so bad in context: "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."

What she's saying is that the bills of the feckless who cast themselves on "society" are, in fact, paid by individuals like you, me and their families.

Seems utterly reasonable to me.