Winston Churchill? Michael A. Chary? Katharine Elizabeth Crane? Jay E. House? John Ward Studebaker? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: The following cynical remark about the electorate has been attributed to British statesman Winston Churchill: The best argument against Democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter. I have never seen a solid citation, and …
Tag Archives: Winston Churchill
Quote Origin: Russia Is Never as Strong, or as Weak, as She Appears
Winston Churchill? Otto von Bismarck? Charles de Talleyrand? Klemens von Metternich? Jozef Pilsudski? Willson Woodside? Seweryn Bialer? Paul Johnson? Thomas L. Friedman? John Lukacs? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: The Russian government’s actions have repeatedly had far‑reaching effects on the rest of the world. Yet, predicting Russia’s future behavior has always been difficult. Here is …
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Quote Origin: Courage Is What It Takes To Stand Up and Speak; It Is Also What It Takes To Sit Down and Listen
Winston Churchill? William Arthur Ward? Googey Bince? Carl Hermann Voss? George W. Norris? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: It takes courage to stand up and speak, but it also takes courage to sit down and listen. This notion has been attributed to U.K statesman Winston Churchill, but I have never seen a solid citation, and …
Quote Origin: The Only Traditions of the Royal Navy Are Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash
Winston Churchill? Harold Nicolson? Paddy Leigh Fermor? Anthony Montague Browne? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: According to legend a British statesman was once criticized for disregarding naval tradition. The statesman responded with the following zinger: The only traditions of the Royal Navy are rum, sodomy, and the lash. This line has been attributed to Winston …
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Quote Origin: Those Who Cannot Remember the Past Are Condemned To Repeat It
George Santayana? Edmund Burke? Winston Churchill? Question for Quote Investigator: The study of history teaches vital lessons; however, those lessons are often unheeded. Here are five versions of a popular adage: (1) Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. (2) Those who do not learn from the experience of history are …
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Quote Origin: Democracy Is the Worst Form of Government Except For All Others Which Have Been Tried
Winston Churchill? Guy Henson? Plato? Israel Zangwill? William Ralph Inge? Robert Briffault? Herbert Hoover? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: The flaws in the democratic form of government are numerous, yet the alternatives such as oligarchy and autocracy inevitably become oppressive and tyrannical. A famous saying states that democracy is the worst form of government except …
Quote Origin: People Have Become the Tools of Their Tools
Henry David Thoreau? Winston Churchill? Marshall McLuhan? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Automation has been occurring for centuries, but the modern age has taken the trend to new extremes. The culture of humanity has shifted dramatically because of the tools created by technology. Here are two versions of a pertinent adage: (1) People have become …
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Quote Origin: We Have Not Got Any Money, So We Have Got To Think
Winston Churchill? Ernest Rutherford? Henry Tizard? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: When access to money is restricted it becomes more difficult to accomplish tasks. Deeper and more creative thought is required to make progress. Here are four versions of a pertinent expression: (1) We have not got any money, so we have got to think.(2) …
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Quote Origin: During My Life I Have Often Had To Eat My Own Words, and I Have Found Them a Wholesome Diet
Winston Churchill? Isabel Vernon? Walter Monckton? John W. Wheeler-Bennett? Katherine Ramsay? Earl of Swinton? Lord Normanbrook? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: According to legend a prominent political figure was planning to reverse a long-held policy, and a colleague disapproved while warning, “You would be required to eat your own words.” The figure replied, “I have …
Quote Origin: Always Verify Your Quotations
Winston Churchill? Martin Routh? John Burgon? G. W. Peck? Earl of Rosebery? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: According to a legend of academia, a young student once asked an illustrious professor to impart his greatest piece of wisdom, and the sage replied with one of these statements: (1) Always verify your quotations. (2) Always check …
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