Rob P wrote:..
So, what if she had never been premier, what would Britain look like today?
..
Would the people of the Falklands .. now be under a much different administration?
..
without (as ever, I hope) being partisanly political, but being personal (
ad feminam, as OP invites), on this one issue ..
It has reasonably been argued by those in a very good position to know that the Falklands War was considerably provoked by diplomacy which Mrs T personally directed and by her indifferenceor even antipathy then to the Armed Forces in any context other than anti-SovBloc; and it was then won by the talent (not least for innovation) of those Armed Forces (and supporting civilians eg RN dockyard workers) in spite of damage which her measures had already caused and her own initial panic.
Of course, after the victory, she publicly became the Forces' best friend (not their supporting civilans', of course).
As for domestic issues, I am happy largely to leave that to other Forumites' comments; but do agree that the ideological influence of Joseph was and remains baleful on many aspects of UK society, notably the unique to UK requirement that regulatory agencies must make a profit which affects us in aviation.
A further legacy in both foreign and domestic governmental activity from the years of her premiership was the
'one of us' obsession. Anyone in public service who had crossed her when she was a junior Minister, and anyone who did not appear to subscribe to the Joseph ideology, could not be recruited, promoted or appointed anywhere in the public service where central Government had an influence; and she never forgot nor forgave a perceived slight. Junior recruits to the 'fast-stream' Civil Service from that time are in senior positions today, especially in Treasury, and still instinctively believing 'private good, public bad' in providing any public service or 'common good'.
Also, anyone who had or (by same enduring legacy) has volunteered to be seconded to a European Commission post was automatically suspect so that they came to know that their prospects on return would be limited. Many thus chose to stay in EU service, or go to the private sector on return from their secondment, where there experience was highly valued. The legacy of that is a severe dearth, again unique to UK among EU members, of a generation of public servants who actually understand how the EU works
(mere guide at) Jet Age Museum, Gloucestershire Airport
http://www.jetagemuseum.org/TripAdvisor Excellence Award 2015
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction ... gland.html