58+ Harold MacMillan Quotes On Education, War And America

Harold MacMillan was an English politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1957 to 1963. He was a member of the Conservative Party, and his time in office was marked by a period of economic prosperity and relative peace. He was known for his famous phrase "you've never had it so good" which encapsulated the optimism of the time. Following is our collection on famous quotes by Harold MacMillan on education, leadership, war.

Top 10 Harold MacMillan Quotes

1. No man succeeds without a good woman behind him. Wife or mother, if it is both, he is twice blessed indeed.
2. A man who trusts nobody is apt to be the kind of man nobody trusts.
3. The wind of change is blowing through the continent. Whether we like it or not, this growth of national consciousness is a political fact.
4. Too many people live too much in the past. The past must be a springboard, not a sofa.
5. Most of our people have never had it so good.
6. I have learned that in all negotiations nothing matters except the will to reach agreement.
7. If you don't believe in God, all you have to believe in is decency. Decency is very good. Better decent than indecent. But I don't think it's enough.
8. Memorial services are the cocktail parties of the geriatric set.
9. I was determined that no British government should be brought down by the action of two tarts.
10. We have not overthrown the divine right of kings to fall down for the divine right of experts.

Harold MacMillan Short Quotes

• Jaw-jaw is better than war-war.
• Tradition does not mean that the living are dead, it means that the dead are living.
• To be alive at all involves some risk.
• When the curtain falls, the best thing an actor can do is to go away.
• Britain's most useful role is somewhere between bee and dinosaur.
• It has been said that there is no fool like an old fool
• It's no use crying over spilt summits.
• There might be 1 finger on the trigger, but there will be 15 fingers on the safety catch.
• It is the duty of Her Majesty's government neither to flap nor to falter.
• Once the bear's hug has got you, it is apt to be for keeps.

Harold MacMillan Quotes About Feel

It isn't those who always addressing each other as comrade who necessarily show the most brotherly feelings. — Harold MacMillan

At home, you always have to be a politician; when you're abroad, you almost feel yourself a statesman. — Harold MacMillan

We do not intend to part from the Americans and we do not intend to be satellites. I am sure they do not want us to be so. The stronger we are, the better partners we shall be; and I feel certain that as the months pass we shall draw continually closer together with mutual confidence and respect. — Harold MacMillan

At home you always have to be a politician. When you're abroad you almost feel yourself a statesman. — Harold MacMillan

Harold MacMillan Quotes About Politics

As usual the Liberals offer a mixture of sound and original ideas. Unfortunately none of the sound ideas is original and none of the original ideas is sound. — Harold MacMillan

You can hardly say boo to a goose in the House of Commons now without cries of "Ungentlemanly," "Not fair" and all the rest. — Harold MacMillan

Revolt by all means, but only on one issue at a time. To do more would be to confuse the whips. — Harold MacMillan

The only quality needed for an MP is the ability to write a good letter. — Harold MacMillan

I have never found, in a long experience of politics, that criticism is ever inhibited by ignorance. — Harold MacMillan

After long experience of politics, I have never found that there is any inhibition caused by ignorance as regards criticism. — Harold MacMillan

A successful current affairs television show seems to be more and more a cross between a music hall turn and a scene in a torture chamber. — Harold MacMillan

It was a storm in a tea cup, but in politics we sail in paper boats. — Harold MacMillan

Harold MacMillan Famous Quotes And Sayings

It is, of course, a trite observation to say that we live "in a period of transition." Many people have said this at many times. Adam may well have made the remark to Eve on leaving the Garden of Eden. — Harold MacMillan

Churchill was fundamentally what the English call unstable - by which they mean anybody who has that touch of genius which is inconvenient in normal times. — Harold MacMillan

After a long life I have come to the conclusion that when all the Establishment is united it is always wrong. — Harold MacMillan

I will not be able to carry the physical burden of leading the Party at the next general election. I hope it will soon be possible for the customary processes of consultation to be carried on within the Party about its future leadership. — Harold MacMillan

One nanny said, "Feed a cold"; she was a neo-Keynesian. Another nanny said, "Starve a cold"; she was a monetarist. — Harold MacMillan

He (Aneurin Bevan) enjoys prophesying the imminent fall of the capitalist system, and is prepared to play a part, any part, in its burial, except that of mute. — Harold MacMillan

There are three bodies no sensible man directly challenges: the Roman Catholic Church, the Brigade of Guards and the National Union of Mineworkers — Harold MacMillan

No man should ever lose sleep over public affairs. — Harold MacMillan

Power? It's like a Dead Sea fruit. When you achieve it, there is nothing there. — Harold MacMillan

History is apt to judge harshly those who sacrifice tomorrow for today. — Harold MacMillan

A Foreign Secretaryand this applies also to a prospective Foreign Secretaryis always faced with this cruel dilemma. Nothing he can say can do very much good, and almost anything he may say may do a great deal of harm. Anything he says that is not obvious is dangerous; whatever is not trite is risky. He is forever poised between the cliche and the indiscretion. — Harold MacMillan

He is forever poised between a cliche and an indiscretion. — Harold MacMillan

90% of what we did the Press didn't know about, and 90% of what they did know about they got wrong. — Harold MacMillan

It has been said that there is no fool like an old fool, except a young fool. But the young fool has first to grow up to be an old fool to realize what a damn fool he was when he was a young fool. — Harold MacMillan

You will find the Americans much as the Greeks found the Romans: great, big, vulgar, bustling people more vigorous than we are and also more idle, with more unspoiled virtues but also more corrupt. — Harold MacMillan

Stop-Go seemed more sensiblr than using the brake and accelerator at the same time - a practice that later became fashionable. — Harold MacMillan

We believe that unless we give opportunity to the strong and able, we shall never have the means to provide real protection for the weak and the old. — Harold MacMillan

If ever the call comes to them, the young will go straight from the ranks of the neutralists into the ranks of he Majesty's Forces, as they have so often done in the past. — Harold MacMillan

I read a great number of press reports and find comfort in the fact that they are nearly always conflicting. — Harold MacMillan

Marxism is like a classical building that followed the Renaissance; beautiful in its way, but incapable of growth. — Harold MacMillan

I am MacWonder one moment and MacBlunder the next. — Harold MacMillan

I have never found criticism is ever inhibited by ignorance. — Harold MacMillan

It is a good thing to be laughed at. It is better than to be ignored. — Harold MacMillan

If people want a sense of purpose they should get it from their archbishop. They should certainly not get it from their politicians. — Harold MacMillan

I was a sort of son to Ike, and it was the other way round with Kennedy. — Harold MacMillan

I'd like that translated, if I may. — Harold MacMillan

Life Lessons by Harold MacMillan

1. Harold MacMillan taught the importance of taking responsibility for one's actions and decisions, no matter the consequences.
2. He also showed the value of humility and self-reflection, and that it is important to take the time to consider the impact of our decisions on others.
3. Lastly, MacMillan demonstrated that it is possible to remain loyal to one's beliefs while still being open-minded and willing to compromise.