Tony Benn Quotes About Democracy

Quotes about: Democracy

• If democracy is ever to be threatened, it will not be by revolutionary groups burning government offices and occupying the broadcasting and newspaper offices of the world. It will come from disenchantment, cynicism and despair caused by the realisation that the New World Order means we are all to be managed and not represented.

  Tony Benn

  Mean, Order, Government

• It is not surprising that more and more people are coming to the conclusion that the ballot box is no longer an instrument that will secure political solutions... They can see that the parliamentary democracy we boast of is becoming a sham.

  Tony Benn

  People, Political, Democracy

• When I saw how the European Union was developing, it was very obvious what they had in mind was not democratic. In Britain, you vote for a government so the government has to listen to you, and if you don't like it you can change it.

  Tony Benn

  Change, Government, Europe

  "Tony Benn: His views on socialism, Europe, war and writing", www.bbc.co.uk. March 14, 2014.

• If one meets a powerful person--Adolf Hitler, Joe Stalin or Bill Gates--ask them five questions: "What power have you got? Where did you get it from? In whose interests do you exercise it? To whom are you accountable? And how can we get rid of you?

  Tony Benn

  Exercise, Power, Accountability

  Members in the Commons Hansard Debates, publications.parliament.uk. March 22, 2001.

• If democracy is destroyed in Britain, it will be not the communists, Trotskyists or subversives but this House which threw it away. The rights that are entrusted to us are not for us to give away. Even if I agree with everything that is proposed, I cannot hand away powers lent to me for five years by the people of Chesterfield. I just could not do it. It would be theft of public rights.

  Tony Benn

  Rights, Hands, Years

  Tony Benn's Speech in House of Commons during a debate on the Treaty of Maastricht, hansard.millbanksystems.com. November 20, 1991.

• The Tory party is the enemy of democracy.

  Tony Benn

  Party, Enemy, Democracy

• Parliamentary democracy is, in truth, little more than a means of securing a periodical change in the management team, which is then allowed to preside over a system that remains in essence intact. If the British people were ever to ask themselves what power they truly enjoyed under our political system they would be amazed to discover how little it is

  Tony Benn

  Team, Mean, Essence

• Well, it all began with Democracy. Before we had the vote all the power was in the hands of rich people. If you had money you could get health care, education, look after yourself when you were old, and what democracy did was to give the poor the vote and it moved power from the marketplace to the polling station, from the wallet...to the ballot.

  Tony Benn

  Hands, Giving, People

• I think democracy is not a destination. I don't think socialism is a railway station and if we catch the right train with the right driver, we'll get there. I think it's a way of thinking about things and every generation has to do it again.

  Tony Benn

  Thinking, Democracy, Socialism

  Source: mattkennard.tumblr.com

• Democracy is not just voting every 5 years and watching 'Big Brother' in between and wondering why nothing happens. Democracy is what we do and say where we live and work

  Tony Benn

  Brother, Years, Voting

• Change from below, the formulation of demands from the populace to end unacceptable injustice, supported by direct action, has played a far larger part in shaping British democracy than most constitutional lawyers, political commentators, historians or statesmen have ever cared to admit. Direct action in a democratic society is fundamentally an educational exercise.

  Tony Benn

  Educational, Exercise, Direct Action

  "New Politics" Magazine, 1970.

• If you read Mein Kampf, Hitler's book, which I have outside, I bought it when I was eleven, Hitler said, "democracy inevitably leads to Marxism" - now you work that one out. It's so interesting that when the poor have the vote they will use it to remove the privileges of the rich.

  Tony Benn

  Book, Interesting, Democracy

  Source: mattkennard.tumblr.com

• There is no connection between imperialism and democracy. I mean when we ran an Empire which we did when I was born, there was no democracy anywhere.

  Tony Benn

  Mean, Democracy, Imperialism

  Source: mattkennard.tumblr.com

• I think Mrs Thatcher did more damage to democracy, equality, internationalism, civil liberties, freedom in this country than any other Prime Minister this century. When the euphoria surrounding her departure subsides you will find that in a year or two's time there will not be a Tory who admits ever supporting her. People in the street will say, thank God she's gone

  Tony Benn

  Country, Thinking, Years

• I think democracy is the most revolutionary thing in the world, because if you have power you use it to meet the needs of you and your community.

  Tony Benn

  Thinking, Community, Democracy

  "Sicko". Documentary, Drama, 2007.

• I think if you do have democracy it would transform the world because if the millions of people who die live on a dollar a day, had the vote, they would redistribute the wealth of the world, and the people at the top are not prepared to see that happen.

  Tony Benn

  Thinking, People, Democracy

  Source: mattkennard.tumblr.com

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