Prime Minister of Fallacies

I already spot one difference between Churchill’s speech Gandhi’s,Churchill’s is so much longer. So let us move on, I am going to talk about thefallacies that Winston Churchill used in his speech, “Our Duty in India.” Andaction:

“One would have thought that if there was one cause in the worldwhich the Conservative party would have hastened to defend, it would be thecause of the British Empire of India.”

Complex Cause right there, Churchill just committed the sin of thefalse choice. Why the cause has to be the British Empire of India? And not thatmonkeys like bananas?

“Unhappily all that influence, and it is an enormous influence, hasbeen cast the other way”

We’ve got ourselves a case of Tautology ladies and gentlemen. Thesame thing gets repeated twice. If you noticed, I myself just used tautology aswell. Churchill could have just said: “Unhappily all that influence has beencast the other way.” Other than tautology, he was being wordy (not a fallacy).

“It will also be long. We must not expectearly success.”

The reappearance in the use of tautology, Churchill strikes again. Wellif it “will also be long”, it’s not going to end quickly or “early” as he would.So yes Winston Churchill, you justrepeated the same ideas in different words.

“...they shall do so with their eyes open, and not be led blindfoldinto a trap.”

Tautology once again, I am sure that if you have your “eyes open”then you are not “blindfold.”

“We shall not be taken by surprise, as the country was during theRound Table Conference.”

Many questions, maybe, I don’t know.

“The princes, the Europeans, the Moslems, the Depressed classes, theAnglo – Indians -  none of them know whatto do nor where to turn the face of their apparent desertion by Great Britain.”

Almost sure it is a fallacy, just not sure which. Chewbecca defense?

“I repudiate the calumny which our opponents level at us that wehave no policy for India but repression and force.”

I repeat: “but repression and force.” False Dilemma? Well Churchillis only offering India two types of “policy," while there are probably more.

“We believe tat the next forward step is the development of Indianresponsibility in the provincial governments of India.”

This can be an example of the many questions fallacy. In this partof the speech Churchill is saying the next step is “the development ofIndian…”. As he says this, he is also implying that “Indian responsibility”used to be underdeveloped.

“The responsible government of territories and populations as largeas Germany, France, Poland, Italyor Spain is not a task unworthy of Indiancapacity for self-government, so far as it has yet been displayed.”

Not sure which, but this part of the speech is clearly a part of theSixth Deadly Sin: The Red Herring.

“If you took the antagonisms of France and Germany, and the antagonismsof Catholics and Protestants, and compounded them and multiplied them ten-fold,you would not equal the division which separates these two races intermingledby scores of millions in cities and plain of India.”

Do I even have to tell you? This clearly an example of the Chewbeccadefense, Churchill this could even be partof the South Park episode of Chewbecca defense.

As this speech continued, I was able to spot more fallacies. This isan exposition of some of the one’s Churchill used, because after all myassignment was not to write the speech all over again.

To end my blog, I am going to include a famous thing Churchill once said to Lady Astor:

"I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly"

BURN. I see what you did there Mr. Churchill.

Does anyone know what the picture below of Winston Churchill really means? If you do, good, if you don't, look it up, if you believe it means peace, then you are wrong. It means victory, and yes Mr. Churchill, victory you had with that fallacious argument.

This does not mean peace

Fun Fact: Robbie Williams also used the V-sign (palms out)

as an insult.