24 Brack the Dictionary

The Dictionary of Liberal Quotations Duncan Brack and Robert Ingham introduce the Liberal Democrat History Group’s latest publication. Who said that ‘Liberals are to be the oxen to drag ment might choke. And surely Charles Kennedy will not echo the appeal for recruits the Labour wain over the rough roads of Parliament launched by a predecessor, Clement Davies: … and … when there is no further use for them, ‘I have nothing to offer materially, no posi- they are to be slaughtered. That is the Labour idea tion, no career, and certainly not safety. I can only offer faith, and with that faith I demand of cooperation’? Simon Hughes, campaigning to a sacrifice’. become leader of the Liberal Democrats? John As well as including the most memorable Prescott, welcoming Charles Kennedy’s election? quotes from Liberal Democrat, Liberal, So- cial Democrat and Whig politicians, from In fact, this was David Lloyd George’s description Charles Kennedy to Charles James Fox, of the role of the Liberal Party during the William Gladstone to Shirley Williams, the Parliament, when Asquith’s Liberals helped prop Dictionary of Liberal Quotations will be an important source of reference on the develop- up the minority Labour administration. This is just ment of liberal and social democratic thought. one example of how the key themes of British Quotes from Paine, Jefferson, J. S. politics recur from one generation to the next, drawn from the pages of a new publication — the Dictionary of Liberal Quotations. To give another example, when Gladstone wrote in 1887: ‘one prayer absorbs all others: Ireland, Ireland, Ireland,’ could he possi- bly have envisaged that the same prayer would be on the lips of politicians over a century later? How right he was, looking back, to declare when winding up the debate on the Home Rule Bill in June 1886 that this was ‘one of those golden moments in our history’ to resolve the Irish ques- tion, ‘one of those opportunities which may come and may go, but which rarely returns’. The Dictionary of Liberal Quotations also illustrates how political debate has changed over the years. William Harcourt, leader of the Liberal Party in the closing years of the last century, said in response to the increased emphasis being placed on social policy: ‘we are all socialists now’, words on which many members of the present govern- 26 journal of liberal democrat history 24: autumn 1999 Mill, Hobhouse, Keynes, Beveridge, Locke, Green, Tawney and I am for peace, Dahrendorf feature extensively. Go back to your retrenchment and Many quotations from opponents constituencies and of the Liberal Democrats and its reform, the watchword predecessor parties have been in- prepare for of the great Liberal cluded. While the writings of government! Lishman and Greaves and Hain ex- Party thirty years ago. plain the theoretical underpinnings David Steel John Bright of community politics, quotations from Peter Tatchell and Alan Clark show what opponents of the Lib- The only part of the You know what they eral Democrats think of the strat- conduct of anyone for egy in practice. Everyone knows say: if God had been that the SDP aimed to ‘break the which he is amenable a Liberal, we wouldn't mould’ of British politics: the Dic- to society is that which tionary of Liberal Quotations explains have had the ten the origin of the phrase, and in- concerns others. In the commandments. We'd cludes Margaret Thatcher’s unchar- part which merely acteristically witty response. have had the ten Over pages of quotations concerns himself, his suggestions. from over politicians, thinkers, independence is, of academics, writers and others are in- Christopher Bigsby cluded in the Dictionary of Liberal Quo- right, absolute. Over and Malcolm tations, which has been put together himself, over his own by members of the Liberal Demo- Bradbury crat History Group. Charles Kennedy body and mind, the and Robert Maclennan have written individual is sovereign. forewords and, like last year’s Diction- All the world over, I ary of Liberal Biography, the Dictionary John Stuart Mill will back the masses of Liberal Quotations is published in hardback by Politico’s Publications against the classes. and will be available from Septem- As usual the Liberals W. E. Gladstone ber, priced £ plus £. postage offer a mixture of and packing. Subscribers to the Jour- nal benefit from a special offer price sound and original of £.; an order form is enclosed Faith, hope and with this issue. ideas. Unfortunately canvassing — and The two companion volumes, none of the sound the Dictionary of Labour Quotations the greatest of these and the Dictionary of Conservative ideas is original and is canvassing. Quotations, will be published at the none of the original same time, and will also be available Frank Worman for £ each (£ for all three ideas is sound. bought together). Journal readers will Harold Macmillan of course be pleased to hear that the In 1929 the wise, far- Dictionary of Liberal Quotations con- seeing electors of my tains the largest number of quotes! Some men see things This important source of reference native Hereford sent is sure to be popular with Liberal as they are and ask me to Westminster Democrats, and also with those with themselves: ‘why?’ I a general interest in the history of and, two years later, the party, its predecessors and with dream of things that the lousy bastards liberal and social democrat thought, never have been and kicked me out. for many years to come. ask myself: ‘why not?’ Duncan Brack and Robert Ingham are Frank Owen the editors of the Dictionary of Liberal Aeschylus Quotations. journal of liberal democrat history 24: autumn 1999 27.

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