Margaret Thatcher

"If you desire something strongly enough, you will find a way to obtain it."

"The purpose of government is not to manage the economy, but to create the conditions in which free men and women can manage their own."

"I learned everything I needed to know about economics in my father's shop."

"A nation which loses its nerve in a crisis soon loses everything."

"The greatest achievements require the greatest determination."

"I have never been interested in popularity contests; I am interested in doing what is right."

"History teaches us that those who fail to learn from it are destined to repeat it."

"There is nothing like a crisis to reveal a person's true character."

"I sometimes think that the price of empiricism is too high."

"One can always depend on those who know exactly what they believe in."

"The British people will not accept leaders who do not have the courage of their convictions."

"If we do not preserve our heritage, our future will be hollow."

"I believe that the moral framework of a society is more important than its economic framework."

"Never underestimate the determination of a woman who has been told she cannot do something."

"The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining, not when it is raining."

"I've always felt that if you want something, you must work for it."

"Chaos is the consequence when you do not have clear, strong leadership."

"One must always have convictions, even if one knows one may be proven wrong."

"The future of our nation lies in the hands of those who believe in its potential."

"I have no time for people who feel sorry for themselves."

"The greatest threat to freedom is the absence of a vigilant people."

"It is better to be defeated on principle than to win on a lie."

"We are all creatures of our time, but that does not mean we must accept the limitations our time imposes."

"The woman who does not fight for her own liberty will not fight for anyone's."

"To lead people, you must first earn their respect by respecting them."

"Every decision carries a cost, but indecision costs far more."

"I have never believed in the politics of envy or resentment."

"Nations are not remade by committees; they are remade by individuals with the courage of their convictions."

"The fact that something is traditional does not make it right, but that it is new does not make it wrong."

"One must have a clear vision before one can inspire others to follow."