." ▁ ▁Great ▁Britain ▁priv at ized ▁its ▁steel ▁industry ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁and ▁the ▁West ▁German ▁government ▁emb ark ed ▁on ▁large - scale ▁priv at ization , ▁including ▁sale ▁of ▁the ▁majority ▁st ake ▁in ▁Volks wagen ▁to ▁small ▁invest ors ▁in ▁public ▁share ▁offer ings ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 1 . ▁However , ▁it ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁under ▁Margaret ▁Th atch er ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁and ▁Ron ald ▁Re agan ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁that ▁priv at ization ▁gained ▁world wide ▁momentum . ▁Notable ▁priv at ization ▁attempts ▁in ▁the ▁UK ▁included ▁priv at ization ▁of ▁Brit o il ▁( 1 9 8 2 ), ▁Am ers ham ▁International ▁P LC ▁( 1 9 8 2 ), ▁British ▁Tele com ▁( 1 9 8 4 ), ▁Se al ink ▁fer ries ▁( 1 9 8 4 ), ▁British ▁Pet role um ▁( grad ually ▁priv at ized ▁between ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 7 ), ▁British ▁A eros pace ▁( 1 9 8 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 7 ), ▁British ▁Gas ▁( 1 9 8 6 ), ▁Roll s - Ro y ce ▁( 1 9 8 7 ), ▁R over ▁Group ▁( former ly ▁British ▁Ley land , ▁ 1 9 8 8 ), ▁British ▁Ste el ▁Corporation ▁( 1 9 8 8 ), ▁ ▁and ▁the ▁regional ▁water ▁authorities ▁( most ly ▁in ▁ 1 9 8