--- title: "19 Ifs Quotes By Tony Benn" description: "19 Ifs quotes by Tony Benn. Plus more from Tony Benn and more Ifs sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7df/tony-benn-2543_house_if-ever-i-left-the-house-of-commons-it-w_3058281.png" --- > [If ever I left the House of Commons it would be because I wanted to spend more time on politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/if-ever-i-left-the-house-of-commons-it-would-be-because-i-wanted-to/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7df/tony-benn-2543_house_if-ever-i-left-the-house-of-commons-it-w_3058281.png) > [It is tempting to deny, but if you deny you confirm what you won't deny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/it-is-tempting-to-deny-but-if-you-deny-you-confirm-what-you-won-t-deny/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/tony-benn-2543_deny_it-is-tempting-to-deny-but-if-you-deny-y_801950.png) > [Choice depends on the freedom to choose and if you are shackled with debt you don’t have the freedom to choose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/choice-depends-on-the-freedom-to-choose-and-if-you-are-shackled-with/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f41/tony-benn-2543_choice_choice-depends-on-the-freedom-to-choose_2183779.png) > [If we can find the money to kill people, we can find the money to help people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/if-we-can-find-the-money-to-kill-people-we-can-find-the-money-to-help/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/055/tony-benn-2543_findings_if-we-can-find-the-money-to-kill-people_1398943.png) > [If I rescued a child from drowning, the press would no doubt headline the story: 'Benn grabs child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/if-i-rescued-a-child-from-drowning-the-press-would-no-doubt-headline/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/689/tony-benn-2543_children_if-i-rescued-a-child-from-drowning-the-p_664252.png) > [When I saw how the European Union was developing, it was very obvious what they had in mind was not democratic. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/when-i-saw-how-the-european-union-was-developing-it-was-very-obvious/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/tony-benn-2543_britain_when-i-saw-how-the-european-union-was-de_1965194.jpg) > [People in debt become hopeless and hopeless people don’t vote. They always say that that everyone should vote but I think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/people-in-debt-become-hopeless-and-hopeless-people-don-t-vote-they/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/tony-benn-2543_britain_people-in-debt-become-hopeless-and-hopel_228723.jpg) > [There is good and bad in all of us and the Church uses the idea of original sin to control us by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/there-is-good-and-bad-in-all-of-us-and-the-church-uses-the-idea-of/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/tony-benn-2543_bishops_there-is-good-and-bad-in-all-of-us-and-t_1481060.png) > [I think democracy is the most revolutionary thing in the world….because if you have power you use it to meet the needs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/i-think-democracy-is-the-most-revolutionary-thing-in-the-world/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8e/tony-benn-2543_community_i-think-democracy-is-the-most-revolution_1533795.png) > [People say that if we work for the Single European Act, women will get their rights, the water will be purer, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/people-say-that-if-we-work-for-the-single-european-act-women-will-get/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/992/tony-benn-2543_europe_people-say-that-if-we-work-for-the-singl_2056594.png) > [If the Queen can reject the advice of a minister on a little thing like a postage stamp, what would happen if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/if-the-queen-can-reject-the-advice-of-a-minister-on-a-little-thing/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8dd/tony-benn-2543_advice_if-the-queen-can-reject-the-advice-of-a_3122119.png) > [Experience is the only real teacher and if you keep a diary you get three bites at educating yourself - when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/experience-is-the-only-real-teacher-and-if-you-keep-a-diary-you-get/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d5/tony-benn-2543_art-of-life_experience-is-the-only-real-teacher-and_31261.png) > [If democracy is ever to be threatened, it will not be by revolutionary groups burning government offices and occupying the broadcasting and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/if-democracy-is-ever-to-be-threatened-it-will-not-be-by-revolutionary/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db0/tony-benn-2543_broadcasting_if-democracy-is-ever-to-be-threatened-it_3002049.jpg) > [Well, it all began with Democracy. Before we had the vote all the power was in the hands of rich people. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/well-it-all-began-with-democracy-before-we-had-the-vote-all-the-power/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65b/tony-benn-2543_ballots_well-it-all-began-with-democracy-before_2706529.png) > [Parliamentary democracy is, in truth, little more than a means of securing a periodical change in the management team, which is then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/parliamentary-democracy-is-in-truth-little-more-than-a-means-of/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20e/tony-benn-2543_amazed_parliamentary-democracy-is-in-truth-litt_3054204.png) > [If democracy is destroyed in Britain, it will be not the communists, Trotskyists or subversives but this House which threw it away.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/if-democracy-is-destroyed-in-britain-it-will-be-not-the-communists/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb6/tony-benn-2543_agree_if-democracy-is-destroyed-in-britain-it_2443165.jpg) > [If one meets a powerful person - Adolf Hitler, Joe Stalin or Bill Gates - ask them five questions: 'What power have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/if-one-meets-a-powerful-person-adolf-hitler-joe-stalin-or-bill-gates-2/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ad/tony-benn-2543_asks_if-one-meets-a-powerful-person-adolf-hit_1069795.png) > [Change always follows the same pattern. If you come up with something new they try and put you off.If that doesn't work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/change-always-follows-the-same-pattern-if-you-come-up-with-something/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/tony-benn-2543_change_change-always-follows-the-same-pattern-i_509833.jpg) > [After the war people said, 'If you can plan for war, why can't you plan for peace?' When I was 17, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/after-the-war-people-said-if-you-can-plan-for-war-why-can-t-you-plan/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb8/tony-benn-2543_accommodations_after-the-war-people-said-if-you-can-pla_1434573.jpg) ## Other authors on Ifs ## More by Tony Benn > [Experience is the only real teacher and if you keep a diary you get three bites at educating yourself - when it happens, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/experience-is-the-only-real-teacher-and-if-you-keep-a-diary-you-get/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [Someone comes every morning at nine o'clock to see if I am still alive. I do get lonely, yes, but I have the children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/someone-comes-every-morning-at-nine-o-clock-to-see-if-i-am-still/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [Middle class Labour leaders are recaptured by the establishment when they die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/middle-class-labour-leaders-are-recaptured-by-the-establishment-when/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [Change from below, the formulation of demands from the populace to end unacceptable injustice, supported by direct action, has played a far larger part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/change-from-below-the-formulation-of-demands-from-the-populace-to-end/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [People would do well to ask themselves how many of their ambitions and aspirations derive from the type of economic system they inhabit and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/people-would-do-well-to-ask-themselves-how-many-of-their-ambitions/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [Most things in life are moments of pleasure and a lifetime of embarrassment; photography is a moment of embarrassment and a lifetime of pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/most-things-in-life-are-moments-of-pleasure-and-a-lifetime-of/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [You have to try to build support around causes. It is uniting to campaign on a single issue, and it is never just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/you-have-to-try-to-build-support-around-causes-it-is-uniting-to/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [Normally, people give up parliament because they want to do more business or spend more time with family. My wife said 'why don't you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/normally-people-give-up-parliament-because-they-want-to-do-more/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [Food movement organic food stores supplies health food products and facilitate with instrumental support in organic agriculture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/food-movement-organic-food-stores-supplies-health-food-products-and/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [We are not just here to manage capitalism but to change society and to define its finer values.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/we-are-not-just-here-to-manage-capitalism-but-to-change-society-and/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [I think there are two ways in which people are controlled - first of all frighten people and secondly demoralize them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/i-think-there-are-two-ways-in-which-people-are-controlled-first-of/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [People in debt become hopeless and hopeless people don’t vote. They always say that that everyone should vote but I think that if the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/people-in-debt-become-hopeless-and-hopeless-people-don-t-vote-they/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [Workers are not going to be fobbed off with a few shares...or by a carbon copy of the German system of co-determination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/workers-are-not-going-to-be-fobbed-off-with-a-few-shares-or-by-a/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [No medieval monarch in the whole of British history ever had such power as every modern British Prime Minister has in his or her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/no-medieval-monarch-in-the-whole-of-british-history-ever-had-such/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [Having served in eleven Parliaments, it would be difficult to describe this as a maiden speech. It would be like Elizabeth Taylor appearing at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/having-served-in-eleven-parliaments-it-would-be-difficult-to-describe/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/tony-benn/#itemlist", "name": "19 Ifs Quotes By Tony Benn", "numberOfItems": 19, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If ever I left the House of Commons it would be because I wanted to spend more time on politics.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tony Benn" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/if-ever-i-left-the-house-of-commons-it-would-be-because-i-wanted-to/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7df/tony-benn-2543_house_if-ever-i-left-the-house-of-commons-it-w_3058281.png", "contentUrl": 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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.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tony Benn" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/when-i-saw-how-the-european-union-was-developing-it-was-very-obvious/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/tony-benn-2543_britain_when-i-saw-how-the-european-union-was-de_1965194.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/tony-benn-2543_britain_when-i-saw-how-the-european-union-was-de_1965194.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/tony-benn-2543_britain_when-i-saw-how-the-european-union-was-de_1965194.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I saw how the European Union was developing, it was very obvious what they had in mind was not…” — Tony Benn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 7, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People in debt become hopeless and hopeless people don’t vote. They always say that that everyone should vote but I think that if the poor in Britain or the United States turned out and voted for people that represented their interests there would be a real democratic revolution.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tony Benn" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/people-in-debt-become-hopeless-and-hopeless-people-don-t-vote-they/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/tony-benn-2543_britain_people-in-debt-become-hopeless-and-hopel_228723.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/tony-benn-2543_britain_people-in-debt-become-hopeless-and-hopel_228723.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/tony-benn-2543_britain_people-in-debt-become-hopeless-and-hopel_228723.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People in debt become hopeless and hopeless people don’t vote. They always say that that everyone should…” — Tony Benn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 8, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is good and bad in all of us and the Church uses the idea of original sin to control us by saying that, if we do not obey the bishops, we will rot in Hell.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tony Benn" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/there-is-good-and-bad-in-all-of-us-and-the-church-uses-the-idea-of/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/tony-benn-2543_bishops_there-is-good-and-bad-in-all-of-us-and-t_1481060.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/tony-benn-2543_bishops_there-is-good-and-bad-in-all-of-us-and-t_1481060.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/tony-benn-2543_bishops_there-is-good-and-bad-in-all-of-us-and-t_1481060.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is good and bad in all of us and the Church uses the idea of original sin to control us by saying…” — Tony Benn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 9, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "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.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tony Benn" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/i-think-democracy-is-the-most-revolutionary-thing-in-the-world/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8e/tony-benn-2543_community_i-think-democracy-is-the-most-revolution_1533795.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8e/tony-benn-2543_community_i-think-democracy-is-the-most-revolution_1533795.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8e/tony-benn-2543_community_i-think-democracy-is-the-most-revolution_1533795.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think democracy is the most revolutionary thing in the world….because if you have power you use it to meet…” — Tony Benn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 10, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People say that if we work for the Single European Act, women will get their rights, the water will be purer, and training will be better. That is rubbish. It is part of the attempt to consolidate the EEC.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tony Benn" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/people-say-that-if-we-work-for-the-single-european-act-women-will-get/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/992/tony-benn-2543_europe_people-say-that-if-we-work-for-the-singl_2056594.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/992/tony-benn-2543_europe_people-say-that-if-we-work-for-the-singl_2056594.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/992/tony-benn-2543_europe_people-say-that-if-we-work-for-the-singl_2056594.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People say that if we work for the Single European Act, women will get their rights, the water will be…” — Tony Benn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 11, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If the Queen can reject the advice of a minister on a little thing like a postage stamp, what would happen if she rejected the advice of the Prime Minister on a major matter? If the Crown personally can reject advice, then, of course, the whole democratic facade turns out to be false", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tony Benn" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/if-the-queen-can-reject-the-advice-of-a-minister-on-a-little-thing/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8dd/tony-benn-2543_advice_if-the-queen-can-reject-the-advice-of-a_3122119.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8dd/tony-benn-2543_advice_if-the-queen-can-reject-the-advice-of-a_3122119.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8dd/tony-benn-2543_advice_if-the-queen-can-reject-the-advice-of-a_3122119.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If the Queen can reject the advice of a minister on a little thing like a postage stamp, what would happen…” — Tony Benn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 12, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Experience is the only real teacher and if you keep a diary you get three bites at educating yourself - when it happens, when you write it down, and when you reread it and realise you were wrong. Making mistakes is part of life. The only things I would feel ashamed of would be if I had said things I hadn't believed in order to get on. Some politicians do do that.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tony Benn" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/experience-is-the-only-real-teacher-and-if-you-keep-a-diary-you-get/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d5/tony-benn-2543_art-of-life_experience-is-the-only-real-teacher-and_31261.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d5/tony-benn-2543_art-of-life_experience-is-the-only-real-teacher-and_31261.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d5/tony-benn-2543_art-of-life_experience-is-the-only-real-teacher-and_31261.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Experience is the only real teacher and if you keep a diary you get three bites at educating yourself - when…” — Tony Benn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 13, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "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.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tony Benn" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/if-democracy-is-ever-to-be-threatened-it-will-not-be-by-revolutionary/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db0/tony-benn-2543_broadcasting_if-democracy-is-ever-to-be-threatened-it_3002049.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db0/tony-benn-2543_broadcasting_if-democracy-is-ever-to-be-threatened-it_3002049.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db0/tony-benn-2543_broadcasting_if-democracy-is-ever-to-be-threatened-it_3002049.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If democracy is ever to be threatened, it will not be by revolutionary groups burning government offices and…” — Tony Benn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 14, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "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.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tony Benn" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/well-it-all-began-with-democracy-before-we-had-the-vote-all-the-power/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65b/tony-benn-2543_ballots_well-it-all-began-with-democracy-before_2706529.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65b/tony-benn-2543_ballots_well-it-all-began-with-democracy-before_2706529.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65b/tony-benn-2543_ballots_well-it-all-began-with-democracy-before_2706529.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Well, it all began with Democracy. Before we had the vote all the power was in the hands of rich people. If…” — Tony Benn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 15, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "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", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tony Benn" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/parliamentary-democracy-is-in-truth-little-more-than-a-means-of/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20e/tony-benn-2543_amazed_parliamentary-democracy-is-in-truth-litt_3054204.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20e/tony-benn-2543_amazed_parliamentary-democracy-is-in-truth-litt_3054204.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20e/tony-benn-2543_amazed_parliamentary-democracy-is-in-truth-litt_3054204.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Parliamentary democracy is, in truth, little more than a means of securing a periodical change in the…” — Tony Benn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 16, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "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.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tony Benn" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/if-democracy-is-destroyed-in-britain-it-will-be-not-the-communists/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb6/tony-benn-2543_agree_if-democracy-is-destroyed-in-britain-it_2443165.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb6/tony-benn-2543_agree_if-democracy-is-destroyed-in-britain-it_2443165.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb6/tony-benn-2543_agree_if-democracy-is-destroyed-in-britain-it_2443165.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If democracy is destroyed in Britain, it will be not the communists, Trotskyists or subversives but this…” — Tony Benn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 17, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "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?' If you cannot get rid of the people who govern you, you do not live in a democratic system.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tony Benn" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/if-one-meets-a-powerful-person-adolf-hitler-joe-stalin-or-bill-gates-2/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ad/tony-benn-2543_asks_if-one-meets-a-powerful-person-adolf-hit_1069795.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ad/tony-benn-2543_asks_if-one-meets-a-powerful-person-adolf-hit_1069795.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ad/tony-benn-2543_asks_if-one-meets-a-powerful-person-adolf-hit_1069795.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If one meets a powerful person - Adolf Hitler, Joe Stalin or Bill Gates - ask them five questions: 'What…” — Tony Benn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 18, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Change always follows the same pattern. If you come up with something new they try and put you off.If that doesn't work they call you stark raving bonkers.If that doesn't work they lock you up like the suffragettes.Then, after a pause, the change happensand you can't find anyone that doesn't claim to have been fighting for it with you.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tony Benn" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/change-always-follows-the-same-pattern-if-you-come-up-with-something/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/tony-benn-2543_change_change-always-follows-the-same-pattern-i_509833.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/tony-benn-2543_change_change-always-follows-the-same-pattern-i_509833.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/tony-benn-2543_change_change-always-follows-the-same-pattern-i_509833.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Change always follows the same pattern. If you come up with something new they try and put you off.If that…” — Tony Benn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 19, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "After the war people said, 'If you can plan for war, why can't you plan for peace?' When I was 17, I had a letter from the government saying, 'Dear Mr. Benn, will you turn up when you're 17 1/2? We'll give you free food, free clothes, free training, free accommodation, and two shillings, ten pence a day to just kill Germans.' 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When I was 17, I had a…” — Tony Benn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } } ] }, { "@type": "CollectionPage", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/tony-benn/#webpage", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/tony-benn/", "name": "Ifs Quotes by Tony Benn", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/tony-benn/#itemlist" }, "primaryImageOfPage": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7df/tony-benn-2543_house_if-ever-i-left-the-house-of-commons-it-w_3058281.png" }, "description": "19 Ifs quotes by Tony Benn. 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