When will Labour learn that you cannot build Jerusalem in Brussels.
Margaret ThatcherRead
I hate extremes of any kind. Communism [seeks] the domination of the state over the individual... All my life I have stood against banning Communism or other extremist organisations because, if you do that, they go underground and it gives them an excitement that they don't get if they are allowed to pursue their policies openly. We'll beat them into the ground on argument...
Interpretation
What this quote means
Margaret Thatcher expresses her opposition to extremist ideologies, advocating for open debate rather than suppression.
In this quote, Margaret Thatcher highlights her belief that seeking to ban extremist ideologies, such as Communism, ultimately empowers them by pushing their activities underground. She argues for confronting such ideologies through open discussion and robust debate, believing that ideas should be met with arguments rather than censorship, which can inadvertently enhance their allure and influence.
Themes
ExtremismCommunismDebateFreedomCensorship
In practice
Example use cases
During a political debate, one might refer to this quote to argue against censorship of extreme viewpoints.
More from Margaret Thatcher
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If it's me against 48, I feel sorry for the 48.
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