Aneurin Bevan: Socialism

Aneurin Bevan was Welsh politician. Explore interesting quotes on socialism.

Aneurin Bevan: 66 quotes0 likes

“There is only one hope for mankind — and that is democratic Socialism.”

Resignation speech http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1951/apr/23/mr-aneurin-bevan-statement in the House of Commons (23 April 1951) <br class="br">1950s

“The spectacle therefore afforded us by the United States is one of technical brilliance and social blindness.”

Aneurin Bevan

In Place of Fear (William Heinemann Ltd, 1952), p. 162
1950s

“There can be no immaculate conception of socialism.”

Aneurin Bevan

Oft repeated: see John Campbell "Nye Bevan" (Richard Cohen Books, 1997)
1950s

“I have spent now more than a quarter of a century of my life in public affairs, and as I grow older I become more and more pessimistic. I started-if the House will forgive me this personal note - my career in public affairs in a small colliery town in South Wales. When I was quite a young boy my father took me down the street and showed me one or two portly and complacent looking gentlemen standing at the shop doors, and, pointing to one, he said, "Very important man. That's Councillor Jackson. He's a very important man in this town." I said, "What's the Council?" "Oh, that's the place that governs the affairs of this town," said my father. "Very important place indeed, and they are very powerful men." When I got older I said to myself, "The place to get to is the council. That's where the power is." So I worked very hard, and, in association with my fellows, when I was about 20 years of age, I got on to the council. I discovered when I got there that the power had been there, but it had just gone. So I made some inquiries, being an earnest student of social affairs, and I learned that the power had slipped down to the county council. That was as where it was, and where it had gone to. So I worked very hard again, and I got there-and it had gone from there too. Then I found out that it had come up here. So I followed it, and sure enough I found that it had been here, but I just saw its coat tails round the corner.”

Aneurin Bevan

Hansard, House of Commons 5th series, vol 395, columns 1616-1617.
Speech in the House of Commons, 15 December 1943.
1940s

“The language of priorities is the religion of socialism.”

Aneurin Bevan

Labour Party Conference, Blackpool 1949
1940s

“That is why no amount of cajolery, and no attempts at ethical or social seduction, can eradicate from my heart a deep burning hatred for the Tory Party that inflicted those bitter experiences on me. So far as I am concerned they are lower than vermin. They condemned millions of first-class people to semi-starvation. Now the Tories are pouring out money in propaganda of all sorts and are hoping by this organised sustained mass suggestion to eradicate from our minds all memory of what we went through. But, I warn you young men and women, do not listen to what they are saying now. Do not listen to the seductions of Lord Woolton. He is a very good salesman. If you are selling shoddy stuff you have to be a good salesman. But I warn you they have not changed, or if they have they are slightly worse than they were.”

Aneurin Bevan

Speech on 3 July 1948 at the Bellevue Hotel, on eve of the entry into force of the National Health Service.
1940s