サッチャー死去 今なお生きる国家再生の教訓

[The Yomiuri Shimbun] April 11, 2013
EDITORIAL / Thatcher leaves indelible lesson on how to revitalize a nation
サッチャー死去　今なお生きる国家再生の教訓（4月10日付・読売社説）

Margaret Thatcher was a female politician who not only revitalized a sinking Britain but changed the world by playing a key role in ending the Cold War.
　衰退しつつあった英国を蘇生させたばかりか、冷戦終結に重要な役割を演じ、世界を変えた女性政治家だった。

Thatcher, who served as British prime minister for 11 years from 1979, died Monday at the age of 87.
　１９７９年から１１年間の長きにわたり、英首相を務めたマーガレット・サッチャー氏が８日、８７歳で死去した。

In expressing his condolences, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said she was "a great leader who demonstrated a force of will and was a respected politician who devoted herself to her country and people."
　安倍首相は「意志の力を身をもって示した偉大なリーダーであり、国家国民のためにすべてをささげた尊敬すべき政治家であった」と、弔意を表した。

Even today, Japan can learn many lessons from Thatcher. Her greatest achievement was carrying out drastic reforms known as Thatcherism.
　今なお、日本がサッチャー氏から学ぶべきことは多い。最大の業績は、サッチャリズムと呼ばれる大胆な改革を推進したことだ。

She stood firm against the "British disease"--a reference to the country's recession and financial woes--by promoting a small government. She embraced privatization and took a series of deregulation steps, including the "Big Bang" that transformed financial markets. She also boldly pushed through unpopular measures such as reducing generous welfare services and streamlining the coal mine sector.
　「小さな政府」によって、経済停滞と国家財政悪化という「英国病」の病根にメスをいれ、民営化や、金融市場の「ビッグバン」などの規制緩和を断行した。手厚すぎる福祉の抑制や炭鉱合理化など不人気な政策も果敢に進めた。

However, as her economic policy focused mainly on the financial sector, Britain's manufacturing industry waned, widening the rich-poor gap. Despite the negative impact, her reforms are regarded to have laid the groundwork for the country's economic growth from the 1990s.
　金融に比重を置くあまり、製造業は弱体化し、貧富の格差が拡大したという負の側面もあったにせよ、改革は９０年代からの経済成長の基礎を作ったと言える。

Impact on Japan

In the wake of Thatcherism, the state-owned Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Public Corporation and Japanese National Railways were privatized under the administration of then Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone, and Japan's version of the "Big Bang" financial reforms were carried out under the administration of then Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto.
　中曽根政権の電電公社や国鉄の民営化、橋本政権の掲げた日本版ビッグバン（金融制度改革）もサッチャリズムの系譜に連なる。

Along with Reaganomics, the economic policies promoted by former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, Thatcher managed the remarkable achievement of resuscitating the global economy.
　サッチャー氏が、レーガン米大統領のレーガノミクスとの連携で、世界経済の停滞を打開した功績は大きい。

Currently, Japan is trying to turn its economy around under Abenomics. Abe must exert his leadership to implement the necessary measures.
　日本は今、アベノミクスで経済再生に取り組んでいる。安倍首相にも実行力が求められよう。

Thatcher's educational reforms have also influenced Abe. In a book, the Japanese prime minister praised her commitment to boosting Britain's educational levels by correcting a "self-deprecating" view of history in education.
　サッチャー氏の教育改革は、安倍首相にも影響を与えた。首相は自著で、歴史教育の「自虐的」な偏向の是正と、教育水準の向上を図ったと評価している。

Thatcher's role in international politics is also unforgettable.
　サッチャー氏が、国際政治で果たした役割も忘れられない。

When the United States and European countries were divided over U.S. plans to deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe and other issues, Thatcher stressed the need to counter the Soviet Union militarily. She played a pivotal role in unifying the West and ending the Cold War.
　米国による中距離核の欧州配備などを巡って米欧の足並みが乱れかけた時、ソ連に軍事面で対抗する必要を説いた。サッチャー氏は、西側陣営の団結、そして冷戦終結の立役者であった。

Maintaining rule of law

The world's spotlight was directed on Thatcher in April 1982 when Argentine forces invaded the British territory of Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic. She did not hesitate to send a naval fleet to retake them.
　世界が注目したのは８２年４月、アルゼンチン軍が南大西洋の英領フォークランド諸島に侵攻した時のことだ。サッチャー氏は、直ちに英軍艦隊を派遣して諸島の奪還に成功した。

In his recent policy speech, Abe quoted Thatcher who, on reflecting on the Falklands War, said Britain was defending the principle that international law should take precedence over the use of force.
　「何よりも国際法が力の行使に勝たなくてはならないという原則を守ろうとしていた」というサッチャー氏の言葉を、安倍首相は施政方針演説で、引用している。

She strongly advocated the protection of territories and sovereignty while abiding by international law. Japan should adopt this kind of firm attitude.
　国際法を順守しつつ、領土、主権を断固守る。その強い信念が、今の日本にも問われている。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 10, 2013)
（2013年4月10日02時00分  読売新聞）