--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Britain has supported theocrats and…" description: "\"Britain has supported theocrats and dictators as long as it served British business interests, whether under Tory or Labour rule.\" — Deeyah Khan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a6/deeyah-khan-10838_british_britain-has-supported-theocrats-and-dict_1804029.jpg" --- # Britain has supported theocrats and dictators as long as… ![“Britain has supported theocrats and dictators as long as it served British business interests, whether under Tory or Labour rule.” quote by Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a6/deeyah-khan-10838_british_britain-has-supported-theocrats-and-dict_1804029.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a6/deeyah-khan-10838_british_britain-has-supported-theocrats-and-dict_1804029.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a6/deeyah-khan-10838_british_britain-has-supported-theocrats-and-dict_1804029.jpg) > “Britain has supported theocrats and dictators as long as it served British business interests, whether under Tory or Labour rule.” [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. British support for regimes often aligns with corporate interests, regardless of ideology. **In simple terms:** Business interests drive foreign support. Key Takeaway Critically assess national foreign policies. Themes foreign policy corporate influence ethics Mood critical thought‑provoking Type journalistic analytical When to use this quote - trade negotiations - human rights advocacy - government decisions Key Concepts realpolitik neocolonialism Questions to Reflect On - What alternatives exist for ethical foreign policy? - How can citizens influence corporate‑state ties? A Different Perspective National security arguments can complicate critique. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Britain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/britain/) [Britain Supported](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/britain-supported-2056073/) [British](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/) [British Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british-business-1746295/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Dictators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dictators/) [Interests Tory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interests-tory-2056075/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rule/) [Supported Theocrats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supported-theocrats-2056074/) ## Related quotes > [We've been a bit too defensive about the European Union rules. We don't want to become protectionist and nationalist in the way we buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-cable/we-ve-been-a-bit-too-defensive-about-the-european-union-rules-we-don/) [Vince Cable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-cable/) > [I do occasionally encounter a British business that delivers what and when, and for exactly the price, they promised. But commercial paragons in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/i-do-occasionally-encounter-a-british-business-that-delivers-what-and/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [We need a new British business bank with a clean balance sheet and an ability to expand lending rapidly to the manufacturers, exporters and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-cable/we-need-a-new-british-business-bank-with-a-clean-balance-sheet-and-an/) [Vince Cable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-cable/) > [British business is disappointed that the MPC felt unable to act more boldly to counter the worsening economic circumstances and the sharp slowdown in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frost/british-business-is-disappointed-that-the-mpc-felt-unable-to-act-more/) [David Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frost/) > [Dictators can always consolidate their tyranny by an appeal to patriotism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/dictators-can-always-consolidate-their-tyranny-by-an-appeal-to/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [Dictators don't come from elections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-lukashenko/dictators-don-t-come-from-elections/) [Alexander Lukashenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-lukashenko/) > [America does not stand with dictators, and we never will and we shall never.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-gallego/america-does-not-stand-with-dictators-and-we-never-will-and-we-shall/) [Ruben Gallego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-gallego/) > [Tyrants and dictators have incited hatred against ethnic and religious minorities for centuries in order to consolidate power for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-menendez/tyrants-and-dictators-have-incited-hatred-against-ethnic-and/) [Bob Menendez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-menendez/) > [When I was in high school in the early 1970s, we knew we were running out of oil; we knew that easy sources were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-safina/when-i-was-in-high-school-in-the-early-1970s-we-knew-we-were-running/) [Carl Safina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-safina/) > [America has had to deal with eccentric dictators in the past: Idi Amin, Muammar Qaddafi, Ming the Merciless... but now the security of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/america-has-had-to-deal-with-eccentric-dictators-in-the-past-idi-amin/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [Illicit trade corrupts corporations and governments alike, allows dictators to survive, and obscures oppression, including modern day slavery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharan-burrow/illicit-trade-corrupts-corporations-and-governments-alike-allows/) [Sharan Burrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharan-burrow/) > [You can do business with America or the authoritarian dictators of Beijing, who oppress their own people, put millions of Muslims in concentration camps,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hilton/you-can-do-business-with-america-or-the-authoritarian-dictators-of/) [Steve Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hilton/) > [The people will demand answers from all the dictators and the people who have not allowed this country to function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawaz-sharif/the-people-will-demand-answers-from-all-the-dictators-and-the-people/) [Nawaz Sharif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawaz-sharif/) > [Dictators always look good until the last minutes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tomas-garrigue-masaryk/dictators-always-look-good-until-the-last-minutes/) [Tomas Garrigue Masaryk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tomas-garrigue-masaryk/) > [We immerse ourselves in escapist mass entertainment, such as 'reality T.V.' programs. We support fanatical politicians and preachers. Our politicians, in turn, support dictators…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-myers/we-immerse-ourselves-in-escapist-mass-entertainment-such-as-reality-t/) [Brendan Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-myers/) ## More by Deeyah Khan > [There is no psychiatric pattern which can predict who becomes an extremist - but they are all frustrated with their reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/there-is-no-psychiatric-pattern-which-can-predict-who-becomes-an/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [The state has a duty to protect all its citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/the-state-has-a-duty-to-protect-all-its-citizens/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [We need to be able to guarantee the safety of all artists and activists for human rights so that it no longer takes extraordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/we-need-to-be-able-to-guarantee-the-safety-of-all-artists-and/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > ['Honour'-based violence is a form of domestic violence. Domestic violence is a broad category.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/honour-based-violence-is-a-form-of-domestic-violence-domestic/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [Self-expression should not be a challenge that demands extraordinary talent but should be a right accessible to all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/self-expression-should-not-be-a-challenge-that-demands-extraordinary/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [The problem with Muslim women is less that we cannot speak the language, but that no one listens to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/the-problem-with-muslim-women-is-less-that-we-cannot-speak-the/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [Freedom of expression is essential for feminists and dissidents in the Muslim world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/freedom-of-expression-is-essential-for-feminists-and-dissidents-in/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [We need more courageous individuals who will defy the structures of power, whether political, economic, or intimate, but we also need it to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/we-need-more-courageous-individuals-who-will-defy-the-structures-of/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [Our media provides a continuing message that for men, heroism is defined through association with control, independence, and the ability to commit violence, from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/our-media-provides-a-continuing-message-that-for-men-heroism-is/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [Muslim women can save the world from ISIS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/muslim-women-can-save-the-world-from-isis/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [Like Theresa May, I regularly find myself infuriated by the rantings of Anjem Choudary and other hate preachers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/like-theresa-may-i-regularly-find-myself-infuriated-by-the-rantings/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [Women's empowerment, whether through legal, financial, or cultural routes, will tend to increase their agency and their ability to take part in activism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/women-s-empowerment-whether-through-legal-financial-or-cultural/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [Left to the mercies of their communities, Muslim women and children remain in abusive households and face losing their financial security over issues like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/left-to-the-mercies-of-their-communities-muslim-women-and-children/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [Women with education, skills, and independent sources of income are more able to withstand the pressures of the patriarchal family and more able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/women-with-education-skills-and-independent-sources-of-income-are/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [We cannot leave vulnerable young men open to the exploitation of extremists, both for our own security and their own wellbeing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/we-cannot-leave-vulnerable-young-men-open-to-the-exploitation-of/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) [Explore all 63 Deeyah Khan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) ## More Britain quotes > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [In Britain, the press want to kill a show by revealing what's coming up and spoiling the pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-bonneville/in-britain-the-press-want-to-kill-a-show-by-revealing-what-s-coming/) [Hugh Bonneville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-bonneville/) > [If we don't like modern Britain, then it is very unlikely that modern Britain will like us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-green/if-we-don-t-like-modern-britain-then-it-is-very-unlikely-that-modern/) [Damian Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-green/) > [It is time Britain put its trust back into the Labour Party. I believe I am the candidate that can make this happen precisely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/it-is-time-britain-put-its-trust-back-into-the-labour-party-i-believe/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) > [Britain has the IRA and no one cancels concerts there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-osbourne/britain-has-the-ira-and-no-one-cancels-concerts-there/) [Sharon Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-osbourne/) > [The establishment in Britain is certainly against the arts and against education. If something doesn't make a profit, it's invalid, and art doesn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-maxwell-davies/the-establishment-in-britain-is-certainly-against-the-arts-and/) [Peter Maxwell Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-maxwell-davies/) > [We from every religion feel comfortable in Britain because there is a host. The Church of England is a good host, it has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/we-from-every-religion-feel-comfortable-in-britain-because-there-is-a/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [The larger an English industry was, the more likely it was to go bankrupt, because the English were not naturally corporate people; they disliked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/the-larger-an-english-industry-was-the-more-likely-it-was-to-go/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [I think the first person to call me 'Britain's Obama' was Martin Bright at the New Statesman. Harriet Harman made the comparison once at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuka-umunna/i-think-the-first-person-to-call-me-britain-s-obama-was-martin-bright/) [Chuka Umunna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuka-umunna/) > [I am the last of Britain's stately homos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/i-am-the-last-of-britain-s-stately-homos/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [ As for whether what happened in Britain improves\[Donald\] Trump's chances of winning, I don't think so. He has the same chances; we may just… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-michael-cillizza/as-for-whether-what-happened-in-britain-improves-donald-trump-s/) [Christopher Michael Cillizza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-michael-cillizza/) > [Britain, like other European states, is not and never will again be in the top-world-power league, so its male leaders can afford to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/britain-like-other-european-states-is-not-and-never-will-again-be-in/) [Linda Colley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-colley/) > [When you go away, you see where you come from in a different light. I see Scotland, and the rest of Britain, as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/when-you-go-away-you-see-where-you-come-from-in-a-different-light-i/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [It was very hard breaking into the film industry in Britain. I had been to art school, and I was painting and doing commercials.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-scott/it-was-very-hard-breaking-into-the-film-industry-in-britain-i-had/) [Tony Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-scott/) > [Germany has always stood for an E.U. of the 27 countries. But in light of Britain's continued resistance to further integration steps, as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-schauble/germany-has-always-stood-for-an-e-u-of-the-27-countries-but-in-light/) [Wolfgang Schauble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-schauble/) [Browse all 1,648 Britain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/britain/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Britain has supported theocrats and dictators as long as it served British business interests, whether under Tory or Labour rule.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Deeyah Khan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/britain-has-supported-theocrats-and-dictators-as-long-as-it-served/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Britain" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/britain-has-supported-theocrats-and-dictators-as-long-as-it-served/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a6/deeyah-khan-10838_british_britain-has-supported-theocrats-and-dict_1804029.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a6/deeyah-khan-10838_british_britain-has-supported-theocrats-and-dict_1804029.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a6/deeyah-khan-10838_british_britain-has-supported-theocrats-and-dict_1804029.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Britain has supported theocrats and dictators as long as it served British business interests, whether under…” — Deeyah Khan", "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": "Deeyah Khan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Britain has supported theocrats and dictators...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/britain-has-supported-theocrats-and-dictators-as-long-as-it-served/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/britain-has-supported-theocrats-and-dictators-as-long-as-it-served/#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 } } ] } ```