http://www.margaretthatcher.org/speeches/displaydocument.asp?docid=106185

"Governments are not experts at running businesses. They are far better run by free enterprise. Our future will then be shaped by millions of individual customers choosing what they want for their homes, their increasing leisure, their hobbies and holidays.

The job of government is to set the financial and legal framework and allow industry to work within it (and also to make it worthwhile for entrepreneurs to take risks)

That is why this Government has transferred so many companies from state control and state ownership into free enterprise.[fo 15]

Those industries which have been privatised have done well: —for employees —for shareholders —and, for the future, by producing and investing good profits.

The nation does well, too—from increased business, and the extra tax it brings to help finance capital investment and the social services. Indeed the public sector as a whole.

This is the national dividend from privatisation.[fo 16]

But there is another purpose behind privatisation: Wider share ownership. It should be as natural for people to own shares as to own their home or to own a car.

People should not be classified as either earners or owners; as either employees or shareholders. They should be both. An employee should not only be working on the shop floor or in the office. He should also be present at the Annual General Meeting as a shareholder.[fo 17]

He should be wanting to satisfy himself that Management is efficient and that profits are as good as they could be. Not only in his own company but in others in which he has shares.

He should be turning to the financial pages of the newspapers—they're usually not far from the sports page—to keep a check on how his shares are doing.

For too long it has been difficult for employees to build up capital out of earnings. We want to change that and make it easier.[fo 18]

Savings income, investment income or private income. Whatever you call it, it's best to have a little bit of your own.

All of this helps to build a more robust and more responsible society. The strength of our policies is that they are founded on the basic instincts of our people. An instinct: —for ownership —for thrift —for honest work —for fair rewards —and for helping others.[fo 19] "