The British Empire and Margaret Thatcher

Was thinking about this one the other day. Suppose Britain had been able to hold on to some kind of "rump" Empire post WW2, which includes the African and Caribbean colonies, plus Malaya and maybe Ceylon. Perhaps the POD could be a victory at Suez? Anyhow, if butterflies remain limited, and Margaret Thatcher becomes Prime Minister of a country that was in as bad an economic shape as it was in OTL in the late 1970's, what would she have done with the Empire?
 
Yes, I was thinking something along the lines of "Imperial Privatisation"-- but how does one privatise an Empire? Or maybe Mrs T decides to give the Empire independence; imagine that, a prosperous, Thatcherite Africa! :D
 
Yes, I was thinking something along the lines of "Imperial Privatisation"-- but how does one privatise an Empire? Or maybe Mrs T decides to give the Empire independence; imagine that, a prosperous, Thatcherite Africa! :D

There are times when I really hate you Basileus! ;)

Seriously though, perhaps we would see a return to the idea of a "corporate state" a la Leopold's Congo. Whilst I can't see that being very popular, knowing Maggie she would find a way to make it happen!
 
There are times when I really hate you Basileus! ;)

Seriously though, perhaps we would see a return to the idea of a "corporate state" a la Leopold's Congo. Whilst I can't see that being very popular, knowing Maggie she would find a way to make it happen!

Ah, and I you, My Lord :p Especially when "A Smith Administration" or whatever you called it died, I enjoyed that!
How about a "British East Africa" company, to control economic and political development, while the country is given nominal independence? That way the Thatcher government can concentrate on sorting out British affairs without having to worry too much about the colonies (I'm assuming that a 1980's British Empire would be much more prosperous and advanced than that of the 1950's, after all, the original plan was for independence circa 1990)
 
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