The 6 most inspirational and eye-catching Winston Churchill quotes

Winston Churchill, prime minister of Great Britain during its battle for survival against Nazi Germany, was a man of soaring oration and sourly bluntness. His varied life experiences as a neglected youth, descendant of British heroes, soldier, journalist, romance writer, and statesman molded a unique individual.

Churchill was a deeply flawed man as well, sharply criticized today for racist and imperialist beliefs and policies. Like many famous historical figures, his wisdom, courage, and other positive attributes existed alongside such things, and we are left to separate the wheat from the chaff in an intellectually honest way — recognizing what’s admirable, condemning the dreadful.

In the spirit of this first proposition, let’s explore some of Churchill’s most inspirational and thought-provoking quotations, and consider their applicability to modern life.

6. On democracy

“Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time…”

Churchill’s famous quote on democracy is a powerful reminder in a time when trust in democracy is declining and serious support for authoritarianism threatens. Democracy can be frustrating — bad policies and politicians are just a vote away. And it can be fragile and self-destructive — literally voted away at any time. But it is far better than anti-democratic alternatives.

5. Never give up

“We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air. We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing-grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender!”

Churchill’s rousing speech to the British parliament after France fell to the Nazis is one of the most widely known from World War II. His conviction to never give up and fight to the bitter end, even as Britain stood alone in Europe, inspired his nation and can serve as an example for human beings today, from Ukrainians battling Russian invaders to ordinary people facing immense personal struggles.

4. Concerning chickens

“When I warned [the French] that Britain would fight on alone, whatever they did, their Generals told their Prime Minister and his divided cabinet: ‘In three weeks, England will have her neck wrung like a chicken. Some chicken… Some neck!”

The French severely underestimated the British. They fought alone gallantly for a year and a half before the United States entered the war against Hitler, and years more before the German surrender. This quote gives a taste of Churchill’s sense of humor, and warns that a Goliath should never underestimate a David.

3. Against bystanders

“It is better to be making the news than taking it; to be an actor rather than a critic.” 

This quote, from Churchill’s book The Story of the Malakand Field Force, reminds us to never be content with passivity, to act for certain ends instead of simply observing or critiquing what others are doing. It is far too easy to fall into a place of complacency and stop being a doer. There are good deeds and hard work to be done, which cannot simply be left to others.

2. War of the words

“We are the masters of the unsaid words, but slaves of those we let slip out.”

Here Churchill touches on two human failings. We often leave unsaid that which should be said. For instance, telling someone how much they really mean to us. On the other hand, we often say things we do not mean or things that should have remained private, causing tension, conflict, or embarrassment. Churchill urges us to be more discerning.

1. Churchill approves

“It is a good thing for an uneducated man to read books of quotations… The quotations when engraved upon the memory give you good thoughts.”

In his book My Early Life, Churchill praised the activity in which you are currently engaged. Seeking interesting ideas in selections from past thinkers is a fine way to become a more educated person. Short and powerful, such quotations can stick with us for the rest of our lives.