I n fact, Churchill did not invent the quote. The quote was said by an unknown person and Churchill was just repeating it in the British Parliament in November 1947. Do you agree with Churchill that there is no system of government better than democracy? Many people do but many others believe the quote is outdated because it was said nearly 68 years ago. The disbelievers (people who refuse to believe) argue that democracies such as the Philippines and Thailand are not as rich, stable, and successful as Singapore and China, which do not have western-style democracy. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair wrote in a New York Times article last December that democracy in the US, Britain, and parts of Europe has become dysfunctional and needs changing. The word dysfunctional means not working properly.
Churchill made many interesting quotes. Hong Kong's politicians should learn from this quote: "Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen." This quote means that people need courage (guts) to say what they believe in but it also takes guts to keep quiet and listen to others. My favorite (favourite in British English) Churchill quote is this: "I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I will be sober (not drunk) but you will still be ugly." Churchill made the quote when a female Member of Parliament said he was drunk. He replied she was ugly and will still be ugly the next morning but he will no longer be drunk.
我聽見公民黨黨魁梁家傑上星期在一個英語電台節目中談到，為何泛民必定要否決政改框架。他引用邱吉爾（小圖）的名句，解釋為何香港一定要民主。他用到的邱吉爾名言是：「有說民主是最差的管治模式——若撇除所有迄今已嘗試過的其他模式的話。」這句名言的意思就是，民主是很糟糕的制度，但其他的政治制度更差。
事實上，邱吉爾並非名言的原創者。它來自一位無名氏，邱吉爾只是在一九四七年十一月的英國國會中覆述一遍。你是否同意邱吉爾所說，沒有任何其他的管治模式比民主更好？許多人認同，但也有許多其他人認為這句說話已過時，因為它已是六十八年前的說話來了。不信的人（disbelievers）反駁稱，民主國家如菲律賓和泰國，也不如新加坡和中國般富裕、穩定和成功，後二者卻沒有西方式的民主。前英國首相貝理雅上年十二月在《紐約時報》一篇文章中寫道，美國、英國和部份歐洲國家的民主已漸趨失效（dysfunctional），需要改變。Dysfunctional 意指不能正常運作。
邱吉爾也說過好些有趣的話來。香港的政客也應好好學習這句名言："Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen."這句話的意思就是，人需要勇氣（courage）站起來說話，直抒己見，但要靜下來傾聽別人的說話，同樣需要勇氣。我最愛的邱吉爾名言是：「小姐，我或許喝醉了，但明早我便會清醒（sober）過來，可你還是同樣的醜陋啊！」當有國會女議員說邱吉爾喝醉了的時候，他說出這一番說話來。他回應指她樣子難看，明早醒來也是一樣，他卻不再是醉酒了。mickchug@gmail.com
中譯:七刻
Michael Chugani 褚簡寧
Source: http://news.stheadline.com/dailynews/headline_news_detail_columnist.asp?id=328342§ion_name=wtt&kw=126