Who really said it

Democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time

Q: Did Winston Churchill say "Democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time"?

Not confirmed. He said it in the House of Commons on 11 November 1947, and Hansard records the words exactly. But the sentence begins "Indeed, it has been said that…" — Churchill was explicitly passing on an existing saying, not claiming one. Strip those four words, as almost every reproduction does, and you convert an honest attribution into a false one.

Churchill said it — but told the House he was quoting someone else Winston Churchill 1874–1965 · British prime minister and Nobel laureate

Attributed In copyright

He said it in the House of Commons on 11 November 1947, and Hansard records the words exactly. But the sentence begins “Indeed, it has been said that…” — Churchill was explicitly passing on an existing saying, not claiming one. Strip those four words, as almost every reproduction does, and you convert an honest attribution into a false one.

Last verified 20 Jul 2026 · how we verify · spot an error?

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Unconfirmed quote & credit

“Democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time” Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time. —Winston Churchill, House of Commons, 11 November 1947 (quoting an existing saying; originator unknown)

Can you use it?

Still under copyright (rights held by The Churchill Literary Estate (permissions via Curtis Brown)). A short, credited quote is generally fine for talks, teaching, and internal decks; for commercial, published, or large-scale reuse, get permission.

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In context

Evoking the world of Winston Churchill — British prime minister, statesman & Nobel laureate in Literature. Theme: "Democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time". Atmospheric and restrained, cinematic directional light, a muted period-appropriate palette, fine grain and texture. Compose with generous empty space for the quote and a small credit line. No lettering in the image itself.

Minimalist

Minimalist editorial slide for the quote "Democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time". Clean background, a single muted accent color, generous negative space, subtle paper or linen texture, no literal illustration — let the words carry it. Reserve clear space for a serif quote and a small credit line. No lettering in the image itself.

Provenance

The source

Speech: Parliament Bill debate, House of Commons
Dated: 11 November 1947
Citation: HC Deb 11 Nov 1947, vol 444, col 207
Originator: Unknown — already circulating by 1946

No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time. Hansard, 11 Nov 1947

The passage as Hansard records it. Note both the preceding sentence and the ‘it has been said’ clause — together they show a man carefully not claiming authorship.

Hansard — HC Deb 11 Nov 1947, Parliament Bill

How we traced it

Hansard records the words in the Parliament Bill debate of 11 November 1947 — including the crucial opening clause, ‘Indeed, it has been said that…’ Hansard, HC Deb 11 Nov 1947 ↗.
The saying was already in circulation before he used it. The closest earlier match found is a May 1946 Nova Scotia report on adult education — ‘it has even been called the worst form of government, except for all others which have been tried’ — whose author also disclaimed credit, so it was current before mid-1946 Quote Investigator ↗.
The International Churchill Society and his estate’s own editor credit him as the populariser of an unsourced aphorism rather than its author — the same conclusion he stated himself in the chamber International Churchill Society ↗.

In copyright

In copyright. Churchill died on 24 January 1965, so his speeches remain protected in the UK and EU until the end of 2035, and the literary estate’s permissions are actively administered by Curtis Brown. Practically: quoting this one sentence in a talk, an article or a book, with attribution, is ordinary quotation practice and is not something anyone seeks a licence for. Reproducing long passages of the speech, or putting the line on merchandise, is a different matter — commercial decorative use is licensed and enforced, and using his name to sell goods raises estate and brand issues separate from copyright. This is not legal advice.

Fact-check

He said it — he just didn't claim it

This is not a fake quotation. Churchill said these words, on a known date, recorded in Hansard. The problem is subtler and more interesting: the four words that are always cut are the ones in which he tells you he is quoting someone else.

‘it has been said that’ removed in reproduction

Hansard has ‘Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government…’ Virtually every reproduction drops the opening, turning a quotation-within-a-speech into an original epigram Hansard ↗.

Unknown never identified

The saying was already circulating by mid-1946, and the earliest close match found — a Nova Scotia education report — also disclaimed credit. Thematic precursors exist from the 1890s onward, but nobody has produced the author the search ↗.

‘except for all those other forms’ inserted word

Hansard reads ‘except all those other forms’ — no ‘for.’ The ubiquitous modern version adds it, and shorter paraphrases (‘except for all the others’) drift further still.

Genuinely spoken by Churchill in the Commons on 11 November 1947 — but prefaced ‘it has been said,’ so he is the populariser, not the author. The originator remains unknown Churchill Society ↗.

Context

Why it resonates

He was speaking in opposition, resisting a bill to curtail the power of the House of Lords, and the line is a defence of imperfect institutions against confident reformers. Read whole, the passage is less a witticism than a warning about tinkering with checks you did not build.

It has since become the standard sentence for defending democracy at its least impressive — which is a fair use of it, and one Churchill would probably have enjoyed, having borrowed it himself.

The four words always cut are the ones where he says it isn't his.

What Hansard actually records

Preceding sentence: ‘No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise.’

As recorded: ‘Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.’

Earliest close match: a May 1946 Nova Scotia report — whose author also disclaimed credit.

Modern form: the opening clause dropped, and ‘for’ inserted before ‘all those other forms.’

Explore

Filed under

More provenance-checked quotes on the same theme, each with its reuse status.

Justice Power

Go further

Dig deeper

Trusted places to keep pulling the thread — primary archives, fact-checks, and scholarship. We show how we used each one before you leave.

Hansard — HC Deb 11 Nov 1947 (Parliament Bill)api.parliament.uk

The official parliamentary record, with the full sentence and its ‘it has been said’ opening.

The Worst Form of Governmentwinstonchurchill.org

The International Churchill Society on why he is the populariser rather than the author.

Quote Origin: Democracy Is the Worst Form of Governmentquoteinvestigator.com

The search for the originator, including the May 1946 Nova Scotia antecedent and earlier thematic precursors.

Churchill's "Democracy is the Worst Form of Government…"richardlangworth.com

Richard Langworth, editor of the Churchill quotation canon, on the attribution.

The speaker

About Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill

1874–1965 · British prime minister, statesman & Nobel laureate in Literature

Sir Winston Churchill led Britain through the Second World War and won the 1953 Nobel Prize in Literature. He spoke these words in opposition in 1947, arguing against curtailing the House of Lords’ powers. He was a careful attributor when he chose to be — which is what makes this case unusual: the man most burdened with invented quotations is here being credited with one he openly said was not his.

For writers & researchers

Cite this

Primary source — Chicago

Churchill, Winston. Speech in the House of Commons, 11 November 1947. Hansard, HC Deb 11 November 1947, vol 444, col 207.

MLA (9th ed.)

Churchill, Winston. Speech. House of Commons, 11 Nov. 1947. Hansard, vol. 444, col. 207.

APA (7th ed.)

Churchill, W. (1947, November 11). Speech in the House of Commons. Hansard, 444, col. 207.

This verification page

Quotle.info. “Who really said ‘Democracy is the worst form of government except all those others’?” Last verified 20 Jul 2026. https://quotle.info/who-said/democracy-is-the-worst-form-of-government-except-all