Thoughts on the Moral Case

Margaret Thatcher

Our views on the way a government should run the economy can be
described as "libertarian": that is to say freedom to develop trade
and industry within a framework of a strong and clear law.  The most
important part of the case for this economic freedom is not the way
it produces greater prosperity but its consistency with certain
fundamental moral principles of life itself.  Each soul or person
matters; man is imperfect; he is a responsible being; he has freedom
to choose; he has obligations to his fellow man.

Morality is personal.  There is no such thing as a collective
conscience, collective kindness, collective gentleness, collective
freedom.  To talk of social justice, social responsibility, a new
world order, may be easy and make us feel good, but it does not
absolve each of us from personal responsibility.  We don't carry out
our moral commitment by taking a public stance on these things, but
only by choosing to do something about them ourselves.  You con't
delegate personal morality to your country. You ARE your country.