Civil service Quote by Antony Jay
“The Opposition aren't really the Opposition. They're just called the Opposition. But in fact they are the Opposition in exile. The Civil Service are the Opposition in residence.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The House of Commons, 1971
The formal Opposition is nominal; real dissent exists within the bureaucracy and exiled groups.
In simple terms: Opposition is often just a label, not true dissent.
Key Takeaway
Recognize where real power and dissent lie.
Themes
politics
power
bureaucracy
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
political
observational
When to use this quote
- parliamentary sessions
- policy making
- government analysis
Key Concepts
institutional critique
exile
civil service
Questions to Reflect On
- Who truly challenges the status quo?
- How can hidden opposition be identified?
A Different Perspective
Labels can mask actual influence.
![“In corporation [corporate] religions as in others, the heretic must be cast out not because of the probability that he is wrong but because of the possibility that he is right.” quote by Antony Jay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/332/antony-jay-41321_casts_in-corporation-corporate-religions-as-in_988387.jpg)
