--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Politics is a process, and there has to…" description: "\"Politics is a process, and there has to be a continual conversation between those who govern and those who give their consent to be governed.\" — Hilary..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf6/hilary-benn-12095_communication_politics-is-a-process-and-there-has-to-b_1557663.jpg" --- # Politics is a process, and there has to be a continual… ![“Politics is a process, and there has to be a continual conversation between those who govern and those who give their consent to be governed.” quote by Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf6/hilary-benn-12095_communication_politics-is-a-process-and-there-has-to-b_1557663.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf6/hilary-benn-12095_communication_politics-is-a-process-and-there-has-to-b_1557663.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf6/hilary-benn-12095_communication_politics-is-a-process-and-there-has-to-b_1557663.jpg) > “Politics is a process, and there has to be a continual conversation between those who govern and those who give their consent to be governed.” [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Governance requires ongoing dialogue between rulers and the governed to stay legitimate. **In simple terms:** Continuous conversation sustains political legitimacy. Key Takeaway Foster regular citizen‑government communication. Themes democracy participation accountability Mood thoughtful serious Type political educational When to use this quote - policy making - community organizing - public consultations - elections Key Concepts social contract public discourse civic engagement Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens ensure their voice truly matters? - What mechanisms improve mutual accountability? A Different Perspective Dialogue can be tokenistic without genuine power sharing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversation/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) ## Related quotes > [State-building can not be imposed. Its foundation must be a shared understanding between those who govern, and those who give their consent to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/state-building-can-not-be-imposed-its-foundation-must-be-a-shared/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [The origin of all civil government, justly established, must be a voluntary compact, between the rulers and the ruled; and must be liable to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/the-origin-of-all-civil-government-justly-established-must-be-a/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [“Politics is the process by which a society chooses the rules that will govern it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/politics-is-the-process-by-which-a-society-chooses-the-rules-that/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [“Politics is a process which should slowly bring to public all the private worries and hopes of the individual.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-h-white/politics-is-a-process-which-should-slowly-bring-to-public-all-the/) [Theodore H. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-h-white/) > [I think its time to get a reapportionment process that frankly takes out the incumbency protection and the raw politics of the process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-moseley-braun/i-think-its-time-to-get-a-reapportionment-process-that-frankly-takes/) [Carol Moseley Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-moseley-braun/) > [Politics is the process of getting along with the querulous, the garrulous and the congenitally unlovable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-moats-kennedy/politics-is-the-process-of-getting-along-with-the-querulous-the/) Marilyn Moats Kennedy > [Even government by the consent of the governed, as in our own Constitution, must be limited in its power to act against its people;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kennedy/even-government-by-the-consent-of-the-governed-as-in-our-own/) [Robert Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kennedy/) > [Government itself is founded upon the great doctrine of the consent of the governed, and has its cornerstone in the memorable principle that men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leland-stanford/government-itself-is-founded-upon-the-great-doctrine-of-the-consent/) [Leland Stanford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leland-stanford/) > [Two hundred years ago, our Founding Fathers gave us a democracy. 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The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-public-needs-to-know-the-kinds-of-things-a-government-does-in-its/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [“Fortunately, there was government by consent of the governed in America—but just as unfortunately, such governments dearly hate to admit a mistake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-r-fehrenbach/fortunately-there-was-government-by-consent-of-the-governed-in/) [T. R. Fehrenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-fehrenbach/) ## More by Hilary Benn > [We will need to work hard to break the cynicism, talk straight and rebuild trust in politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/we-will-need-to-work-hard-to-break-the-cynicism-talk-straight-and/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [And being in the EU has given Britain a stronger voice in the world. Britain leads in Europe, from trade to climate change, from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/and-being-in-the-eu-has-given-britain-a-stronger-voice-in-the-world/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [The Tories claim that they have changed. Their stance on foxhunting makes it absolutely clear that they haven't. They know the public doesn't agree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/the-tories-claim-that-they-have-changed-their-stance-on-foxhunting/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [The problem is that the global arms trade is entirely free of international regulation. 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I'm proud to have done both jobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/i-spent-20-years-working-for-the-trade-union-movement-before-becoming/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [I'm really keen to see a Labour government because there are many things to be done, not least pursuing a sensible Brexit and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/i-m-really-keen-to-see-a-labour-government-because-there-are-many/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [All countries will feel the increasing effects of dangerous climate change and it is those least able to bear it who are already being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/all-countries-will-feel-the-increasing-effects-of-dangerous-climate/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [As each tree falls so does the earth's ability to heal itself and to adapt to the effects of our changing climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/as-each-tree-falls-so-does-the-earth-s-ability-to-heal-itself-and-to/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [The poorest still deserve help with life's basic necessities regardless of the quality of their government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/the-poorest-still-deserve-help-with-life-s-basic-necessities/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [We must not ignore the younger electorate in a fight for older swing voters who we can be confident will go to the polls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/we-must-not-ignore-the-younger-electorate-in-a-fight-for-older-swing/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) > [People who feel alienated have little trust in the institutions of our society. This adds to the wider sense of disaffection and makes it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/people-who-feel-alienated-have-little-trust-in-the-institutions-of/) [Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) [Explore all 56 Hilary Benn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/) ## More Communication quotes > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. 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Smashing heads does not open minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/in-dialogue-there-is-opposition-yes-but-no-head-on-collision-smashing/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I've been in a serious conversation with one of my children, and a fan has come up. 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