--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The worst thing I can say about democracy…" description: "\"“The worst thing I can say about democracy is that it has tolerated the Right Honourable Gentleman for four and a half years. - MORE The worst thing I ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/aneurin-bevan-11144_democracy_the-worst-thing-i-can-say-about-democrac_3230443.jpg" --- # The worst thing I can say about democracy is that it has… ![“The worst thing I can say about democracy is that it has tolerated the Right Honourable Gentleman for four and a half years. - MORE The worst thing I can say about democracy is that it has tolerated the Right Honourable Gentleman for four and a half years.” quote by Aneurin Bevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/aneurin-bevan-11144_democracy_the-worst-thing-i-can-say-about-democrac_3230443.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/aneurin-bevan-11144_democracy_the-worst-thing-i-can-say-about-democrac_3230443.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/aneurin-bevan-11144_democracy_the-worst-thing-i-can-say-about-democrac_3230443.jpg) > ““The worst thing I can say about democracy is that it has tolerated the Right Honourable Gentleman for four and a half years. - MORE The worst thing I can say about democracy is that it has tolerated the Right Honourable Gentleman for four and a half years.”” [Aneurin Bevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneurin-bevan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy can endure leaders who may be unpopular or ineffective for years. **In simple terms:** Democracy tolerates bad leaders. Key Takeaway Recognize and improve political accountability. Themes politics democracy leadership Mood critical reflective Type political analytical When to use this quote - elections - public discourse - policy reform - civic engagement Key Concepts accountability tolerance governance Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens hold leaders accountable? - What mechanisms ensure healthy democracy? A Different Perspective Democracy also protects minority rights and freedoms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Tolerated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-tolerated-4786841/) [Right Honourable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-honourable-1273924/) [Say Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-democracy-571570/) [Worst thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst-thing/) [Years Worst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-worst-1061424/) ## Related quotes > [The worst thing I can say about democracy is that it has tolerated the right hon. Gentleman for four and a half years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneurin-bevan/the-worst-thing-i-can-say-about-democracy-is-that-it-has-tolerated/) [Aneurin Bevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneurin-bevan/) > [I must remind the right honourable gentleman that a monologue is not a decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-attlee/i-must-remind-the-right-honourable-gentleman-that-a-monologue-is-not/) [Clement Attlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-attlee/) > [The right honourable gentleman is reminiscent of a poker. The only difference is that a poker gives off the occasional signs of warmth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/the-right-honourable-gentleman-is-reminiscent-of-a-poker-the-only/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [The Prime Minister, shortly after she came into office, received a sobriquet as the 'Iron Lady'. It arose in the context of remarks which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enoch-powell/the-prime-minister-shortly-after-she-came-into-office-received-a/) [Enoch Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enoch-powell/) > [I would not give my first 15 years to my worst enemy, and I don't even have a worst enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-coleman/i-would-not-give-my-first-15-years-to-my-worst-enemy-and-i-don-t-even/) [Gary Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-coleman/) > [I had lived with abuse for many years, but the worst abuse has been at my own hands and the appalling situations I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-de-cadenet/i-had-lived-with-abuse-for-many-years-but-the-worst-abuse-has-been-at/) [Amanda de Cadenet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-de-cadenet/) > [I would not give my first 15 years to my worst enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-coleman/i-would-not-give-my-first-15-years-to-my-worst-enemy/) [Gary Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-coleman/) > [I was homeless. I lived in a car for a couple of years. That was the worst. But nothing was worse than when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-harvey/i-was-homeless-i-lived-in-a-car-for-a-couple-of-years-that-was-the/) [Steve Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-harvey/) > [The first ten million years were the worst," said Marvin, "and the second ten million years, they were the worst too. The third ten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/the-first-ten-million-years-were-the-worst-said-marvin-and-the-second/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [People often say that, in a democracy, decisions are made by a majority of the people. Of course, that is not true. Decisions are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-judd/people-often-say-that-in-a-democracy-decisions-are-made-by-a-majority/) [Walter Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-judd/) > [We say in a democracy that good ideas will drive out bad ones, so if the good ones aren't there, we're left with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mccaffrey/we-say-in-a-democracy-that-good-ideas-will-drive-out-bad-ones-so-if/) [Barry McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mccaffrey/) > [The people who say they're for democracy want nothing to do with democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/the-people-who-say-they-re-for-democracy-want-nothing-to-do-with/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [Did you, too, O friend, suppose democracy was only for elections, for politics, and for a party name? I say democracy is only of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/did-you-too-o-friend-suppose-democracy-was-only-for-elections-for/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [What we say is that democracy means that you have the right to vote without intimidation and undue burdens. But if you stand in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deforest-soaries/what-we-say-is-that-democracy-means-that-you-have-the-right-to-vote/) [DeForest Soaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deforest-soaries/) > [If the great Western experiment fails and we end up living in totalitarian war-on-terrorism states, one day someone's going to say, 'Well democracy doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/if-the-great-western-experiment-fails-and-we-end-up-living-in/) [Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/) ## More by Aneurin Bevan > [Stand not too near the rich man lest he destroy thee - and not too far away lest he forget thee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneurin-bevan/stand-not-too-near-the-rich-man-lest-he-destroy-thee-and-not-too-far/) [Aneurin Bevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneurin-bevan/) > [This island is made mainly of coal and surrounded by fish. Only an organizing genius could produce a shortage of coal and fish at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneurin-bevan/this-island-is-made-mainly-of-coal-and-surrounded-by-fish-only-an/) [Aneurin Bevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneurin-bevan/) > [The Tories, every election, must have a bogy man. If you haven't got a programme, a bogy man will do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneurin-bevan/the-tories-every-election-must-have-a-bogy-man-if-you-haven-t-got-a/) [Aneurin Bevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneurin-bevan/) > [Reading is not a duty, and has consequently no business to be made disagreeable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneurin-bevan/reading-is-not-a-duty-and-has-consequently-no-business-to-be-made/) [Aneurin Bevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneurin-bevan/) > [Virtue is its own punishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneurin-bevan/virtue-is-its-own-punishment/) [Aneurin Bevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneurin-bevan/) > [No society can legitimately call itself civilized if a sick person is denied medical aid because of lack of means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneurin-bevan/no-society-can-legitimately-call-itself-civilized-if-a-sick-person-is/) [Aneurin Bevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneurin-bevan/) > [You call that statesmanship. I call it an emotional spasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneurin-bevan/you-call-that-statesmanship-i-call-it-an-emotional-spasm/) [Aneurin Bevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneurin-bevan/) > [Politics is a blood sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneurin-bevan/politics-is-a-blood-sport/) [Aneurin Bevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneurin-bevan/) > [The worst thing I can say about democracy is that it has tolerated the right hon. Gentleman for four and a half years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneurin-bevan/the-worst-thing-i-can-say-about-democracy-is-that-it-has-tolerated/) [Aneurin Bevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneurin-bevan/) > [He seems determined to make a trumpet sound like a tin whistle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneurin-bevan/he-seems-determined-to-make-a-trumpet-sound-like-a-tin-whistle/) [Aneurin Bevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneurin-bevan/) > [He has the lucidity which is the by-product of a fundamentally sterile mind. He does not have to struggle... with the crowded pulsations of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneurin-bevan/he-has-the-lucidity-which-is-the-by-product-of-a-fundamentally/) [Aneurin Bevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneurin-bevan/) > [I know that the right kind of leader for the Labour Party is a desiccated calculating machine who must not in any way permit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneurin-bevan/i-know-that-the-right-kind-of-leader-for-the-labour-party-is-a/) [Aneurin Bevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneurin-bevan/) > [This is my truth, tell me yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneurin-bevan/this-is-my-truth-tell-me-yours/) [Aneurin Bevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneurin-bevan/) > [Reactionary: a man walking backwards with his face to the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneurin-bevan/reactionary-a-man-walking-backwards-with-his-face-to-the-future/) [Aneurin Bevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneurin-bevan/) > [I am not going to spend any time whatsoever in attacking the Foreign Secretary. If we complain about the tune, there is no reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneurin-bevan/i-am-not-going-to-spend-any-time-whatsoever-in-attacking-the-foreign/) [Aneurin Bevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneurin-bevan/) [Explore all 61 Aneurin Bevan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneurin-bevan/) ## More Democracy quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [For not only every democracy, but certainly every republic, bears within itself the seeds of its own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-not-only-every-democracy-but-certainly-every-republic-bears/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [There is plenty of time for Republicans to have a Macaca moment. But right now, as of October 17, 2014, the Republican Senate candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-continetti/there-is-plenty-of-time-for-republicans-to-have-a-macaca-moment-but/) [Matthew Continetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-continetti/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Failure to find a way to incorporate political Islam in democracy, however uncomfortable its ideology is for secular liberals, will mean we have given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispin-blunt/failure-to-find-a-way-to-incorporate-political-islam-in-democracy/) [Crispin Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispin-blunt/) > [In a democratic nation, power must be linked with responsibility, and obliged to defend and justify itself within the framework of the general good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/in-a-democratic-nation-power-must-be-linked-with-responsibility-and/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/) [Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Browse all 11,220 Democracy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The worst thing I can say about democracy is that it has tolerated the Right Honourable Gentleman for four and a half years. - MORE The worst thing I can say about democracy is that it has tolerated the Right Honourable Gentleman for four and a half years.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Aneurin Bevan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneurin-bevan/the-worst-thing-i-can-say-about-democracy-is-that-it-has-tolerated-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Democracy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneurin-bevan/the-worst-thing-i-can-say-about-democracy-is-that-it-has-tolerated-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/aneurin-bevan-11144_democracy_the-worst-thing-i-can-say-about-democrac_3230443.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/aneurin-bevan-11144_democracy_the-worst-thing-i-can-say-about-democrac_3230443.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/aneurin-bevan-11144_democracy_the-worst-thing-i-can-say-about-democrac_3230443.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The worst thing I can say about democracy is that it has tolerated the Right Honourable Gentleman for four…” — Aneurin Bevan", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Aneurin Bevan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneurin-bevan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The worst thing I can say...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneurin-bevan/the-worst-thing-i-can-say-about-democracy-is-that-it-has-tolerated-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneurin-bevan/the-worst-thing-i-can-say-about-democracy-is-that-it-has-tolerated-2/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```