I vividly remember the 'Letters' column of my local newspaper from around the time that Thatcher was elected (1979). This was full of letters complaining about 'benefits scroungers', 'immigrants', 'trade unionists' etc. The main thrust of these letters appeared to be that people who were perceived to be of a lower social status than the letter writers were 'getting away with things'/'getting more than their fair share'. There were never any letters about what people of a perceived higher social status may have been 'getting away with'.

I believe that Thatcher appealed to these letter writers and their 'silent majority' neighbours, and they are the people who elected her. She came to power on a platform of envy, petty spite, greed and snobbery (always a winning combination!). Of course, Thatcher's real project was all to do with Free Market Economics and giving away the 'family silver' to Big Business.

I'll give her her due though: most modern politicians make promises to the electorate in order to get elected and then promptly sell out to Big Business when in office. Thatcher sold out to Big Business and kept her promises to stop the poor and disadvantaged from 'getting away' with stuff.