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.
Interpretation
Democracy empowers individuals to utilize their power for the benefit of themselves and their communities.
In this quote, Tony Benn emphasizes the transformative nature of democracy, arguing that it enables individuals to harness their power to address the needs of their communities. He suggests that democracy is revolutionary because it empowers the people to make decisions that improve their lives and those around them, highlighting the importance of collective power in achieving societal progress.
In practice
During a political discussion about civic engagement and community responsibility.
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
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.
I opposed the Suez war, I opposed the Falklands war. I opposed the Libyan bombing and I opposed the Gulf war and I never believed that any of those principled arguments lost a single vote - indeed, I think they gained support though that was not why you did it. What has been lacking in Labour politics over a long period is a principled stand
We are paying a heavy political price for 20 years in which, as a party, we have played down our criticism of capitalism and soft-peddled our advocacy of socialism
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.
I think Mrs Thatcher did more damage to democracy, equality, internationalism, civil liberties, freedom in this country than any other Prime Minister this century. When the euphoria surrounding her departure subsides you will find that in a year or two's time there will not be a Tory who admits ever supporting her. People in the street will say, thank God she's gone
I hereby accuse the North American empire of being the biggest menace to our planet.
Our economic problems worry me much less than our political solutions, which have a far worse track record.
Abstention means you stayed at home or went to the beach. By casting a blank vote, you're saying you have a political conscience but you don't agree with any of the existing parties.
There is often, in the affairs of government, more efficiency and wisdom in non-action than in action.
There are many terrorist states in the world, but the United States is unusual in that it is officially committed to international terrorism.
In fact, the best thing we could do on taxes for all Americans is to simplify the individual tax code. This will be a tough job, but members of both parties have expressed an interest in doing this, and I am prepared to join them.
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