Portrait of Margaret Thatcher
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Margaret Thatcher on Nelson Mandela

Cautious critic (strong) Position evolved

TL;DR

Margaret Thatcher viewed the African National Congress as a terrorist organisation while simultaneously pressing for Nelson Mandela's release.

Key Points

  • She angrily rejected a May 1990 proposal for £1 million to help repatriate ANC exiles, stating, "WE DO NOT FINANCE violence."

  • She told the Zimbabwean leader in October 1988 that her government would "continue to press for Mandela's release" from prison.

  • During her first meeting with him on 4 July 1990, she told Nelson Mandela that "apartheid must go."

Summary

Margaret Thatcher maintained a complex and evolving position regarding Nelson Mandela, characterized by deep ideological opposition to the African National Congress (ANC) coupled with a pragmatic recognition of Mandela's role in a future South Africa. Declassified files show that in 1987, she publicly condemned the ANC after reports that it would target British firms, labelling it a "typical terrorist organisation," reflecting her staunch anti-terrorism stance and Cold War alignment against what she perceived as Soviet influence within the movement. She strongly opposed economic sanctions against the apartheid regime, fearing destabilization and a threat to British commercial interests.

Despite this, there is evidence she privately urged the South African President to release him as early as 1984. Following his release in February 1990, her private assessment of Mandela after their first telephone conversation was that he had "rather a closed mind," though she still met him personally in July 1990 and stated that "apartheid must go." Her government's focus in post-release talks shifted to encouraging "sensible economic policies" and discouraging nationalization, revealing a primary concern with protecting British business over immediate socio-economic reform.

Key Quotes

WE DO NOT FINANCE violence.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Margaret Thatcher's view of Nelson Mandela was complex; she privately expressed disappointment after their initial contact, noting he seemed to have a "rather closed mind." However, she later met him in person and conceded that "apartheid must go," suggesting a pragmatic acceptance of the need for change.

Margaret Thatcher did not explicitly call Nelson Mandela a terrorist. She did, however, brand the African National Congress (ANC) a "typical terrorist organisation" in 1987, following a threat against British firms, and she reportedly told an advisor she believed he had a "closed mind" after their first phone call.

Yes, her position appeared to evolve over time, largely due to international pressure and Mandela's release from prison in 1990. While she maintained her opposition to the ANC's armed struggle and economic policies, she eventually met him and acknowledged that apartheid had to end.