The most famous statements of Winston Churchill about democracy and politics

It is difficult to find a more famous and discussed figure in politics than Winston Churchill. He was one of those who boldly cut the map of the world in the XX century. But no less than his political activities, people are interested in the personality of the ruler of England. Churchill's statements on a variety of occasions have long been included in the gold fund of witty aphorisms.

Childhood of W. Churchill

The future great politician was born in the aristocratic, privileged family of Lord Henry Spencer in 1874. His mother was the daughter of an American businessman, and his father was Chancellor of the Exchequer of Great Britain. Winston was raised in a family estate, but due to the fact that his parents always did not have enough time for him, he mostly stayed with the nanny - Elizabeth Anne Everest. She became his closest friend for many years.

Because of his belonging to the higher caste of the aristocratic class, Churchill could be denied access to the tops of his political career, as under the laws of England nobles could not enter the government of the country. But fortunately, his line was a secondary branch of the Churchill family, which allowed him to become at the helm.

years of education

In his school years, Churchill showed himself as a shrewd disciple. Having replaced several educational institutions, he did not differ anywhere in diligence. Not wishing to obey the strict rules of conduct, the future politician often happened a lot of times with rods. But this did not affect his diligence. And only when in 1889 he was transferred to the army class of the college in Harrow, he showed interest in studies. Brilliantly passing all the exams, he entered the prestigious military school in England, which he graduated with as a junior lieutenant.

Service

However, to serve as an officer Churchill did not have to. Realizing that his military career does not attract him, he used the connections of his mother and chose the post of military correspondent. In this role, he went to Cuba, from where he brought two of his most famous habits, left with him for life: an addiction to Cuban cigars and an afternoon siesta. After Cuba, he was sent to India and Egypt, where he took a very brave part in military operations and earned the glory of a good journalist.

First steps in politics

In 1899, Churchill resigned, deciding to devote himself to political activities. He succeeded in joining the House of Commons on the second attempt. Already a nearly national hero, Churchill was captured in South Africa and made a daring escape. This place he secured for himself for 50 years.

The advancement of Churchill along the political ladder was quick and brilliant. A few years later he became the youngest influential politician in Britain. However, during the First World War, he headed the Ministry of Military Affairs, failed twice, making short-sighted steps. But the true ascent to the political Olympus, he was indebted to the Second World War.

A bright leader

In difficult times before Hitler's attack on Europe Churchill was offered to take the post of First Lord of the Admiralty, since it was quite obvious that he was the only one who could lead the country to victory. Being an ardent opponent of Bolshevism, Churchill nevertheless entered into a coalition with Stalin and Roosevelt, rightly deciding that Nazism is even more evil. What did not stop him at the end of the war was to lead the anti-Bolshevik party of Europe, calling for the destruction of the "red infection" threatening the integrity of the European world.

However, in the first post-war years, England was occupied with economic problems. She needed wise politicians who could lead the country out of the crisis, and people were simply tired of aggressive calls to arms. As a result, Churchill was defeated in the elections and decided to retire.

Churchill is a writer

Churchill's aphoristic remarks indicate that he had an extraordinary literary talent. No wonder he owns several books. While still an officer in India, he began writing his first work, entitled "River War". He described the beginning of his career in the books "My Journey to Africa" and "The Beginning of My Life". Churchill's work The World Crisis, over which he worked for about eight years, was published in six volumes.

A ten-year break in his political career, when he lost elections to the Conservatives in 1929, the future prime minister paid for writing the four-volume biography of his ancestor, Marlborough: His Life and Time. "The history of the Second World War" was published in six volumes and was criticized for the poorly compiled second volume and weak, in comparison with the previous, the fifth. Finally, the last years of his life Churchill devoted to writing a grandiose work "The History of English-Speaking Peoples", the main theme of which was war and politics.

The famous statements of Churchill

Despite his vivid political activities, Churchill is best known for his sharp tongue and typically English humor. Many of his statements are controversial, some are too categorical. But one thing is certain - they all deserve to be acquainted with them. Churchill's statements about politics, life and war are cited in many sources. According to the capacity and accuracy of the message, they most closely resemble the statements of other famous Englishmen - Mark Twain and Bernard Shaw.

Life Wisdom

Churchill's statements about life can be used as an example of tremendous rationalism. When asked how he could live to that age (and he died at the age of 91) and maintain such a clear and sober mind, despite his bad habits, he replied that the secret is simple: it's just that it's never worth when you can sit , And does not sit when you can lie. From a happy life in marriage, which lasted 57 years, he took sober truth that it is easier to manage the nation than to bring up four children (and he had five of them).

Political and military aphorisms

Before becoming prime minister, Churchill was known in England for his anti-militarist statements. He always stated bluntly that the country can not avoid war if it wants to become strong and independent. Churchill's statements about the war are often connected with politics, as, for example, this: "In war you can be killed only once, in politics - a lot." Nevertheless, the great politician understood the meaninglessness of this massacre when he said that war is, for the most part, a catalog of gross errors.

Political aphorisms are also no less well known. Everyone knows Churchill's statement about democracy, in which he calls it the worst form of government, except for the rest. But he did not respect the voters. Here is a striking example: "The best argument against democracy is a short conversation with the average voter".

And was there a plow?

The famous saying of Churchill about Stalin that he took the country with a plow, and left with an atomic bomb, is unknown only to a child, and his authorship has never been questioned. Is it not surprising that Churchill, who fought fiercely against Bolshevism all his life, suddenly spoke with such piety about his leading leader? It is known that only about Churchill spoke about Stalin about 8 times, of which 5 times - disapprovingly. The first mention of this phrase appeared in print in 1988, when the newspaper Sovetskaya Rossiya published a letter to N. Andreeva in which she sings a laudatory ode to a wise helmsman.

After that, the phrase was picked up by a wide variety of people, and it raced through the world, sowing turmoil in the camp of anti-Stalinists. In fact, if fanatically to serve the truth, it is precisely such a phrase Churchill does not have about Stalin. In his speech to the House of Commons on September 8, 1942, the Prime Minister gives a much more neutral, though generally and very respectful description of Stalin. He notes his outstanding qualities as a leader, and, most importantly, so necessary for the country now. The phrase about a plow and an atomic bomb is a collective work of an interpreter of this speech (quite heavily decorated with the words "great", "genius" and "most"). Also something similar is found in the article of I. Doycher (although he also does not have a "bomb", but an "atomic reactor").

Churchill's utterances about Russia

Churchill's dislike for Bolshevism is well known, albeit quite unique. During the war, he constantly stressed his admiration for the feat of the Russian people in the fight against the Nazis, and also paid tribute to the leadership qualities of Stalin. Although in general his attitude towards socialism was disapproving. Many of Churchill's utterances are very perspicacious, for example, where he says that both capitalism and socialism can not avoid inequality, only the first in welfare and the second in poverty. About Bolsheviks, he said that they create their own difficulties, which they then successfully overcome. But in the absence of real democracy in Russia, he saw the main reason why it can not become a strong power.

Later, in his book How I Fought with Russia, Churchill would write that the power in the USSR was amazingly blind to one's own situation in a country that was never as strong as it seemed, and is as weak as some thought.

Churchill's statements can be issued as a separate book - the circulation will be distributed in a matter of minutes. His love of life, a sober attitude to reality can only be envied. Often, like many great people, Churchill's statements are paradoxical, but even more often they strike directly at the goal. Such short mantras help to sober up consciousness from domination in it of banality and commonness.