As a non-native speaker, these kind of comedies (satire) really educate on the mindset of UK citizens about politics. They are subtle and intelligently written. And the performance of the actors just adds another layer to its beauty. It has become a rare gem nowadays unfortunately. Better treasure these brilliant pieces of art!
Just love the way he delivered the line "The universities ... both of them," ROFL. Absolutely love Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister, probably one of if not the best comedy programs around and it actually educates you about British politics too.
***** The two oldest (and arguably most prestigious) universities in the country and Oxford and Cambridge, with many people referring to the bulk of British Universities as "Redbricks" (often built/received their charters in the 1950/1960s) and looking down on them. This is a reference to that snobbery and elitism.
ds1868 You're quite right. I know many people who attended Oxbridge myself, and there is sometimes an interesting rivalry and of course, yes Oxford was established first etc. I must admit that this hadn't occurred to me when I first watched it, but good points. Glad you raised them. :) So many layers of academic elitism. :P I on the other hand went to a mere "redbrick" ;)
lordchipmonk1 Dont forget there are other universities that aren't part of the oxbridge elite but are too old to be seen as redbricks. Edinburgh, St Andrews, Glasgow and Aberdeen are seen as the Scottish universities while Durham is seen as Oxbridge rejects. All of them together, including oxbridge are seen as the ancient universities but dont share the same levels of prestige.
I like this conversation from a bit later in the same scene: Humphrey: "Do you want the National Theatre turned to a carpet warehouse?" Bernard: "Well it looks like one actually!" Humprey: "We gave the architect a knighthood, so no-one would ever say that!"
When I started working as a civil servant for the Dutch government 28 years ago, the HR departement showed these to us as an introductory as a kind of warning. Het 5 years on, we were all like sir Humphrey. What he says is hard but true
@@christianweibrecht6555 You would be surprised.. we have a national government but also provincies al and long cal governments. Above that we have a shitload of quangos who have devolved authority on a huge amount of subjects like energy, waterways health and safety, finances, public domain, checks and balanc s, maar notities. And of course we have regional cooperation structures with some German states/ bundesländer, and Belgian regional government, And we have the EU directorates which issue ' guidelines ' and hundreds of bilateral and multilateral agreement with other countries
I don't blame you, I laughed hard at that too - and I work in Dutch health system (specifically working with the electronic systems for crisis centres and ensuring everything goes well on the technical side). It involves a lot of wrangling different Regions or the UK version of counties together, which is... sometimes painful
"The universities...BOTH of them." Dead pan reference to the cultural primacy in the UK of Oxford/Cambridge, the oldest British universities, to the exclusion of all others. Brilliant.
@@weepingangel6805 I've burned you somehow. I had simply written that comment as a general observation and, as you can see, nobody else came back with a trite expression like "Captain obvious." Yes, I've burned you. You need to develop thicker skin.
It still remains one of Britain's finest exports and still absolutely relevant. Brilliant in so many ways. I doubt this kind of genius will ever grace TV again.
He was once telephoned by the Daily Mail, or the Sun, I forget which - some sort of intellectual broad sheet, and the conversation went along these lines: “So, Mister Hawthorne, rumour has it you’re about to come out as a homosexual. Have you any comment on this?” “Come out as a homosexual? But listen dear boy, I have never even been in! I have been happily married to my gentlemen partner for twenty-five years!” “Oh ...”
Since we're right into the Information Era it is of utmost imortance for the ruling body to stay in the shadows. For this the common people have to be kept busy with brain numbing entertainment to stop them from even thinking about thinking for themselves. And if you take a look at the US - it works.
@@365techtips or maybe we pay a little more, mandate the BBC to educate and entertain the nation in a manner which doesn’t rot our collective brains. Imagine if the BBC held power to account again, wouldn’t that be womderful
Hear, hear!!....although, I would not only circunscribe it to Britain, though. Taking into account regional and local nouances and customs, I dare say that it could be relevant to many societies...sorry...many governments around the world. Most certainly my own Chile...for, as Isabel Allende so aptly put it, we took from the British only 2 things: bad teeth and class consciousness, and believing, as we do, that we are to be the "English of South America" (for unfathomable as it might seem) our politicians subscribe entirely to the types of charades masterfully portrayed on this series.
Sad to learn about that. Some people don't understand how essential he was to Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister. I watched a newer version of Yes, Prime Minister that did not feature him, and in watching this newer version, I was able to fully appreciate how great Derek Fowlds was.
I always find Sir Humphrey's talks on democracy and power of the government so relatable and identical to that of India's situations. The things said on YM and YPM are valid not just for the UK but for my country India too. Afterall we did inherit the 'Indian democracy' from the British.
I've never found this TV show to be funny. it's wonderfully witty, enjoyable, a true masterpiece. you feel like laughing your head off, but... then you realise the matters discussed are real, true and very somber...
@@heliotropezzz333 Actually some of it was. The thing with the orange juice communication room in the Kumran embassy actually happened in, I believe, Pakistan.
Not true. The civil service has been completely changed since the days of Yes, Minister. For one thing, under Blair, power was massively taken away from civil servants and put in the hands of politically-appointed "special advisers" (spads). Also the Civil Service is now obsessed with equality and diversity in its recruitment so you would never get any of the stuff like you see in the episode where they're talking about how they can't get more women as senior Civil Servants. Or, as another example, when applying to most Civil Service jobs you can't even *say* which university you attended, so that they can't favour Oxbridge over others. (N.B. I'm not commenting on whether any of that is good or bad, just saying you are factually inaccurate to say it nothing has changed.)
I was an Officer of the Crown for 15 Years. My workload went from 100% to 0% in less than an afternoon. My next 3 Years were spent with a Desk, a Computer, a Telephone, but No Duty Statement, No IN Box, No OUT Box, No Work. 3 Years of getting Paid to do absolutely nothing, then I Retired.
M Scott Sorry no. My time was spent embedded in the Military, as a Special Placement Officer specialising in Military Planning and Operational Logistics.
This series is perfection, like a jewel of writing, acting and production. Imagine the satisfaction in being involved in its creation. The Rolls Royce of sitcoms.
The brilliance of the show is you never know what political party anyone is, and it takes enough from both the left and right to properly mock both and yet never be obvious in its biases
At the end of the day, as the show demonstrates, it does not matter which party is in charge. As long as the Civil Service had its influence and power, only a small amount of policy got implemented effectively.
Honestly: I agree with Humphrey's ideas about government. Not his general snobbery, but the principle that most people aren't qualified to govern. I don't think its anti-democratic to say that I don't trust the people. But I do trust their aspirations. I trust their desires, and I put my faith in the things they want.
Spot on. Parliamentary democracy is placed to make the decisions, not based on consensus rather experience. That experience makes better decision making in the long run. Endless consultations with the public leads to entrenched positions. We should trust the establishment, thats why they're there
The problem is Humphrey believes his ideas that too - but he doesn't recognise that while you need to think long term, the entire country isn't based on specifically prioritising the things he wants and the other civil servants in his in group. That's just the status quo at the moment so he can hide behind that even to himself. Which is why at least the consideration of alternate viewpoints and perspectives is needed, as long as you don't get bogged down trying to please every person.
That's why the Americans have a Constitutional Republic and not a democratically elected Federal Government based on direct majority rule. Lots of checks and balances were built-in to it because the Founding Fathers never in fact quite trusted the people to always come to sensible and workable solutions. Pity the Democrat Party have forgotten this and are trying to undermine their whole system now because it puts blocks in their way of achieving total and absolute totalitarian power. Modern politicians of all stripes nearly always it seems tend to base their decisions on short-term expediencies, whereas more sober calculating minds in the past with a thought to the future and who were acutely aware of the vagaries of human nature tended to have a longer perspective on such matters. Here in Britain we have of course, largely because of our long and turbulent history, carefully constructed an illusory democratic system that basically gives us every four or five years what amounts to a Hobson's Choice for those who can be bothered to vote that is. We tend to elect one or the other of the "Westminster Parties" that our real unelected masters deem acceptable for a period. Sir Humphrey was in fact speaking the candid truth of the elitist entitled class here. By way of an illustration of his point, look what a dog's dinner and complete mess Devolution has wrought the UK for instance. The script writer knew his stuff and the dangers of meddling with traditions. And look what the European Referendum in 2016 and its aftermath have bequeathed to the country also. Nothing but division and strife because that ill-advised clown Cameron in his haste to placate Ukip and save his Party from electoral collapse decided to give the people a true democratic choice based on a simple majority vote wins. True democracy based on such naive notions as simple majorities often gives unwelcome outcomes to those who believe they should always be in charge. No wonder the UK Civil Service had kittens when the result was announced. I bet they rued the day they allowed him to call (what for them now was) his "wretched Referendum". It screwed up forty years of certainty and their cosy management of our country with their fellow beurocrats in Brussels you see.
Think of all the new trade deals that need to be drafted. The new border agreement that they will need to draft with the Republic of Ireland. New immigration policies that need to be drafted and implemented. The British civil service will need to increase its ranks by 1/3, and they will still be working their fingers to the bone.
Bernard was definitely the most underrated character in this series, but Humphrey and hacker were both brilliant as well. Frankly every character was brilliant lmao
He was! Actually it wasn't intended for Bernard to get into the 3some in the first series, but he was that good they wrote more plots into the 2nd series for Bernard to enjoy
Derek said in a documentary (I believe in one about Nigel) that both leading actors (Nigel and Paul) went to the writers after the first series aired, and asked them to give more lines to him. Such great people they were.
They tried to match ITV programmes, forgetting ratings are less important than quality. Especially when they don't even have adverts so don't even need the big ratings. Basically more stupid people in charge of the BBC for the last two decades.
Philip Osborne why did they tried to, and successfully shut Top Gear down then, when it’s at the forefront of low brow mass media? Isn’t that where they want to go? Weren’t Top Gear one of the few profitable shows by the BBC? They even have a tour and a live show. It’s puzzling. I don’t know what the BBC really wants anymore.
@@lc9245 The BBC didn't want to get rid of Jeremy Clarkson (which wasn't the same thing as 'getting rid of Top Gear'), the 'incident' happened at an inopportune time as the BBC was heavily trying to crack down on 'workplace bullying' at the time, and Clarkson handled the incident very badly, from what I understand: he didn't really go to the people in the BBC on his side and let the narrative be controlled by people who disliked him. I don't think the BBC actually wanted to fire Clarkson, but they felt they had to: whether they actually had to is a matter of debate.
@@IamGrimalkin In the interview with Mr Producer, he claimed that the BBC didn't like them and once they had the opportunity, those who disliked them pushed for Clarkson's removal and it got through. He might be exaggerating their beef with the BBC, but I can certainly see why the BBC executives dislike Top Gear constant controversy, huge expenses and even had to share profits with Mr Producer and Clarkson.
@@mscott3918 You're misinterpreting me. It is a statement about how rotten our society is and not about elections. Regarding _universal suffrage_ : For me, universal suffrage is just the first step. Right now the upper 10%, the ruling body, do profit by keeping the masses stupid. Only when the whole society is permeated by *universal suffrage and public participation,* when the upper 10% can not avoid being affected by stupid decision of the masses anymore, then _"well educated, well informed, self thinking individuals"_ will be welcomed in our society. That, I think, is what will lead to democracy and justice.
Unfortunately a flawed argument. The problem with universal suffrage is that history shows the mob will support whoever promises what they want over those who plan for what they actually need.
Brilliant! Everything you ever need to understand about UK government in a nutshell. It's all still largely true, and so after you've done laughing, just have a little think for a moment ... Should be compulsory viewing for all school leavers, indeed all voters for that matter.
It did a great job in influencing the British public against the EU and against the European nationals in their midst. How many people are aware that one of the scriptwriters, Sir Anthony Jay, was also a speechwriter for Margaret Thatcher. No wonder it was her favorite TV programme.
What amazing actors, what an amazing script. I think we all view with eyes and ears of appreciation and this elevates it even further. The BBC at it's dizzy heights.
Haha, I used to watch Yes Minister when I was a kid in Portugal, and even though I liked it I didn't fully comprehend it, now that I'm old(er) I can appreciate it so much more, the Yes Ministers series are great.
I was a college student in Virginia when I used to watch it. Always thought it was funny even though a lot of the political humor was over my head. I thought the butt kissing was hilarious.
Are you still enjoy watching yes prime minister because it's amazing how they can manipulate words to justify whatever they are discussing full stop it is a real eye opener and it's fun to watch
"Princess, the Corporate Sector has had the same goal for at least the last 100 years: to create a disunited galaxy. In that cause, we have fought with the pirates against the Trade Federation, with the Separatists against the Republic, the Rebel Alliance against the Galactic Empire and with the First Order against the New Republic and Resistance. Divide and rule we say. Why should we change now? When it's worked so well?" "Those were all wars of great struggle!" "Yes, and great opportunity. We had to break up the New Republic so we had to get outside. We tried to break it up from the inside but that wouldn't work. Now that we are outside we can make a complete Geonosis of the whole thing. Set the New Republic against the First Order, the First Order against the Resistance, the Resistance against the Hutts.... the foreign office is terribly pleased. It's just like old times."
As if the Highlanders have any power, all there is are a bunch of bourgeois Anglo-Scots who feel held back by the awful reactionary English. Oh what a shame. Hell I'd like to see the clans restored to greatness, but it won't be done by the SNP.
Enlighten me why England, Scotland, Wales, and NIrl in any shape, sense or form shall be treated as if they were own independent countries in a union with each others like former Yugoslavia or USSR were if not for claiming the right to participate under own flags in Euro football.
I've worked for three different government departments in my time and I can you now its spot on, the vast majority of work isnt work its just to keep you busy or rather make the department look like its busy.
It's funny how I've gone from thinking that this is a funny representation of the problem to actually being a funny representation of why the system works.
We’ve seen how well regional government has gone. Divided the nation and wastes even more money with another layer of government and public servants. Hooray.
BREXIT is an example of what happens when you give power to the people - disaster, and then to the politicians - calamitous disaster. But the civil service, regrouped, understood, and have turned this catastrophe into a winning situation - they have taken on an extra 15,000 staff (aka unelected bureaucrats) to do the work that the EU used to do for the UK, and in the process given themselves even more power having successfully advised that the huge extra workload for ministers can be handled by extra civil servants who will make all the small, medium & large decisions for them allowing the ministers to focus on the really big issues, like their popularity and photo opportunities. 40 odd years later, nothing has changed..
My favourite episode of both YM and YPM is when Jim has to pick a new Bishop. Perfectly illustrates the absurdity of an established church and the status of the CofE as just another cultural institution of the upper-middle class and upper class of England.
You really think it's just "british colonization?" This is government in general. This is bureaucracy. Mechanically speaking a "governor" is something put in place to restrain, control, or inhibit free operation to a way that part decides is preferable. "My truck has a governor that prevents it from going over 65mph."
It's scenes like this that have always, personally, been demonstrative of how complicated it is to balance long term policy thinking, political cycles and (arguably) popularist sentiments in the public. Cause imo Humphrey or Arnold, Hacker and someone speaking for the public all have valid points
Well he's quite right. Not mentioned is the fact that these _barbarians_ are homemade. Homemade with unemployment or the fear of it, miserable education and much more miserable information and entertainment policies.
bulbadox That's because he's right. This was written as satire by people who Sir Humphrey would call "barbarians" who want to wreck exactly what he says they do. Ironic, yes?
FurryAminal well...not ironic but most of his views are grounded in harsh realities, the real democracy is not practicable because the society would abuse its privileges to the fullest extent so therefore we can't expect everyone to be like-minded & educated who'd responsibly exercise their freedoms. In fact, Britain is exactly what he describes - it's an aristocratic government under the guise of democracy....just change the names and people would accept pretty much anything you tell them.
The liberal elite need to believe they're right. Else they're just a gang of petty aristocratic hypocrites promoting their own selfish claims for personal power and unearned wealth at the expense of everyone else. Who wants to believe that?
+bulbadox Yes. The British Political System has hardly changed in 100's of years, despite American TV shows banging on about "Fweedurmm!" LOL. When I argue that we are still serfs and the public is conditioned by mass media, I'm NOT criticising the System, I'm suggesting that oblivious people (those who imagine democatic power is in the hands of the ignorant little people) are being daft. LOL!
@@joekerr3638 As a matter of fact, the security services also recruit from UCL, ICSM, St Andrews, Manchester and Durham. Public School, Oxbridge then Whitehall does not quite cover all the life experiences necessary to administer a country. Unfortunately....
As an Oxford man Humphrey is being very broad minded to acknowledge a second university.
Is Oxford better than Cambridge aur whatever is the second best?
@@nandi7772 They are equals
@@nandi7772 in terms of raising KGB spies the second is the obviously better one.
Hull?
Sorry, wrong sitcom
@@adamwelch6217 it wasn’t a sitcom but a reference to the Cambridge Five
The delivery for "The universities .... both of them ......" is just pure perfection.
As a non-native speaker, these kind of comedies (satire) really educate on the mindset of UK citizens about politics. They are subtle and intelligently written. And the performance of the actors just adds another layer to its beauty.
It has become a rare gem nowadays unfortunately. Better treasure these brilliant pieces of art!
christ, english isn’t your mother tongue? i don’t speak as well as you do in my native language as you in your second language.
"This is a BRITISH democracy Bernard!" I cracked up :D
Oliver Clarke I loved that.
And that sums up Brexit.
😂
Oliver Clarke it reminds me of what I always hear. “it's socialism with Chinese characteristics! “
American Democracy. Those with the deepest pockets wins.
" This the British Democracy Bernard" rightly observed.
Just love the way he delivered the line "The universities ... both of them," ROFL. Absolutely love Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister, probably one of if not the best comedy programs around and it actually educates you about British politics too.
politics in general, i'd even say
IMHO the best thing there has EVER been on the telly...
But he is such an endearing posh snob isn't he?
Don't you anocracies?
sorry, i dont quite understand this one. What does it imply ?
"Both of them." Genius.
LSE？？？？我不做人啦。
@@guoqiangwang4867 Even LSE is not totally against education!
Gosh "Radio 3 Universities" 1001 Knight
666 likes. Don't spoil it. The Order commands...
@@guoqiangwang4867 sorry to be obvious, but both of them refers to Oxford and Cambridge.. showing how Humphrey is a true snob
"The Universities. Both of them." I Rolled up. XD
***** The two oldest (and arguably most prestigious) universities in the country and Oxford and Cambridge, with many people referring to the bulk of British Universities as "Redbricks" (often built/received their charters in the 1950/1960s) and looking down on them. This is a reference to that snobbery and elitism.
***** No probs. :)
ds1868 You're quite right. I know many people who attended Oxbridge myself, and there is sometimes an interesting rivalry and of course, yes Oxford was established first etc. I must admit that this hadn't occurred to me when I first watched it, but good points. Glad you raised them. :) So many layers of academic elitism. :P I on the other hand went to a mere "redbrick" ;)
lordchipmonk1 Dont forget there are other universities that aren't part of the oxbridge elite but are too old to be seen as redbricks. Edinburgh, St Andrews, Glasgow and Aberdeen are seen as the Scottish universities while Durham is seen as Oxbridge rejects. All of them together, including oxbridge are seen as the ancient universities but dont share the same levels of prestige.
Andrew Shaw True enough, true enough.
I like this conversation from a bit later in the same scene: Humphrey: "Do you want the National Theatre turned to a carpet warehouse?" Bernard: "Well it looks like one actually!" Humprey: "We gave the architect a knighthood, so no-one would ever say that!"
it is now recognized as one of the finest projects of its time
@@guguiguguAnd it STILL looks like a carpet warehouse! 😂
@@cmm5542I wish you were wrong. But I found a photo of it.
When I started working as a civil servant for the Dutch government 28 years ago, the HR departement showed these to us as an introductory as a kind of warning. Het 5 years on, we were all like sir Humphrey. What he says is hard but true
With such a small country, how powerful can regional governments become?
@@christianweibrecht6555
You would be surprised.. we have a national government but also provincies al and long cal governments. Above that we have a shitload of quangos who have devolved authority on a huge amount of subjects like energy, waterways health and safety, finances, public domain, checks and balanc s, maar notities.
And of course we have regional cooperation structures with some German states/ bundesländer, and Belgian regional government,
And we have the EU directorates which issue ' guidelines ' and hundreds of bilateral and multilateral agreement with other countries
@@christianweibrecht6555
Our provinces in Canada are very powerful, but we are more of a Confederacy than a unitary state.
I don't blame you, I laughed hard at that too - and I work in Dutch health system (specifically working with the electronic systems for crisis centres and ensuring everything goes well on the technical side). It involves a lot of wrangling different Regions or the UK version of counties together, which is... sometimes painful
Sir Humphrey is the villain of the show.
this is not a parody, but a documentary
@aaron lopez Fucking junkie.
jradetzky yes, this is a documentary. The real governments are a parody!
In China,Tom＆Jerry 's also seen as a documentary😅😅😅😂😂
"precisely. months of fruitful work." -- best joke on youtube :D
guguigugu they and, ‘I’m a locksmith, and, I’m a locksmith.’.
"The universities...BOTH of them." Dead pan reference to the cultural primacy in the UK of Oxford/Cambridge, the oldest British universities, to the exclusion of all others. Brilliant.
Yeah I think we got that Lee. Or should I say, Captain Obvious.
@@weepingangel6805 Who is we? Do you have a mouse in your pocket? Obviously.
@@weepingangel6805 I've burned you somehow. I had simply written that comment as a general observation and, as you can see, nobody else came back with a trite expression like "Captain obvious." Yes, I've burned you. You need to develop thicker skin.
@@weepingangel6805 Least Lee has a name and isn't hiding behind Weeping fucking angel.
@@jamescollins738 Lmao Lee got his bender boy James to come on YouTuibe and back his boy lmfaooo you guys are fucked
"But aren't they supposed to in a democracy?"
"This is a British democracy, Bernard!"
Love it xD
"Bernard, come and sit down."
The fulcrum of each episode.
I love their relationship. That of learned master and slightly terrified student
The siths always come in pairs.
@@ivantamayoromero1668 😂 Bernard is less to Humphrey here, than what Humphrey was to Arnold
@@rewrose2838 it is cannon that Bernard eventually rose to Arnold's position as he'd of the civil service.
@@ivantamayoromero1668He made it to 'moral vacuum' then, I guess!
It still remains one of Britain's finest exports and still absolutely relevant. Brilliant in so many ways. I doubt this kind of genius will ever grace TV again.
The guy playing Sir Humphrey is a brilliant actor.
Sir Nigel Hawthorne RIP.
@@fasteddyuk Sadly so.
He was once telephoned by the Daily Mail, or the Sun, I forget which - some sort of intellectual broad sheet, and the conversation went along these lines:
“So, Mister Hawthorne, rumour has it you’re about to come out as a homosexual. Have you any comment on this?”
“Come out as a homosexual? But listen dear boy, I have never even been in! I have been happily married to my gentlemen partner for twenty-five years!”
“Oh ...”
Terry Harris To be fair, everyone participated in that show was marvellous.
Who said it was a guy?
Made during the golden years of the BBC, so much good content back then.
We have the same here in Australia with the ABC. Was great in the 70s, utter rubbish now. One eyed labour sentiment now.
Since we're right into the Information Era it is of utmost imortance for the ruling body to stay in the shadows. For this the common people have to be kept busy with brain numbing entertainment to stop them from even thinking about thinking for themselves.
And if you take a look at the US - it works.
And so little now.
@@ivorbiggun710 agreed. hopefully it will stop being a mandatory tax soon.
@@365techtips or maybe we pay a little more, mandate the BBC to educate and entertain the nation in a manner which doesn’t rot our collective brains.
Imagine if the BBC held power to account again, wouldn’t that be womderful
YM and YPM are possibly the best ways of helping people understand Britain.
It used to help the British understand Britain. Now they are happy to ingest X Factor and Jeremy Kyle until their brains rot.
And the civil service as a whole.
Hear, hear!!....although, I would not only circunscribe it to Britain, though. Taking into account regional and local nouances and customs, I dare say that it could be relevant to many societies...sorry...many governments around the world. Most certainly my own Chile...for, as Isabel Allende so aptly put it, we took from the British only 2 things: bad teeth and class consciousness, and believing, as we do, that we are to be the "English of South America" (for unfathomable as it might seem) our politicians subscribe entirely to the types of charades masterfully portrayed on this series.
And the thick of it its better with more swearing and more up to date.
And New Zealand, even now. Things like Humphries definition of a clarification hold true even now decades later.
"The universities .... both of them" - lol
John King My thoughts exactly! *lol*
Derek Fowlds 1937 - 2020 RIP
Sad to learn about that. Some people don't understand how essential he was to Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister. I watched a newer version of Yes, Prime Minister that did not feature him, and in watching this newer version, I was able to fully appreciate how great Derek Fowlds was.
I always find Sir Humphrey's talks on democracy and power of the government so relatable and identical to that of India's situations. The things said on YM and YPM are valid not just for the UK but for my country India too. Afterall we did inherit the 'Indian democracy' from the British.
Same here in Pakistan although we went through the sharia phase in 80s
At the deepest level, much of these shows is valid for all societies and all ages.
@@noneimportant5951 no it's not same you have military, maulana
Same for Malaysia too. 😂
Valid for Sri Lanka.
I've never found this TV show to be funny. it's wonderfully witty, enjoyable, a true masterpiece.
you feel like laughing your head off, but... then you realise the matters discussed are real, true and very somber...
Satire of the highest order!
It was never totally real. It's a parody of reality but there are enough real elements to make it funny.
@@heliotropezzz333 Actually some of it was. The thing with the orange juice communication room in the Kumran embassy actually happened in, I believe, Pakistan.
@@TerryTheNewsGirl I must look that one up.
It's funny if you aren't English and don't have to suffer it (although our antipodean equivalent would undoubtedly be worse).
The look Nigel Hawthorne gives at 0:09 is absolute genius
The reason it’s still funny in 2019 is that essentially, nothing has changed.
EDIT ...or, viewed differently, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
And it will always be like this.
Not true. The civil service has been completely changed since the days of Yes, Minister. For one thing, under Blair, power was massively taken away from civil servants and put in the hands of politically-appointed "special advisers" (spads). Also the Civil Service is now obsessed with equality and diversity in its recruitment so you would never get any of the stuff like you see in the episode where they're talking about how they can't get more women as senior Civil Servants. Or, as another example, when applying to most Civil Service jobs you can't even *say* which university you attended, so that they can't favour Oxbridge over others.
(N.B. I'm not commenting on whether any of that is good or bad, just saying you are factually inaccurate to say it nothing has changed.)
Yes Minister failed in the end. 40 years later and nothing has really changed.
@@brunokoch672 You stupid fucking animal.
I was an Officer of the Crown for 15 Years.
My workload went from 100% to 0% in less than an afternoon.
My next 3 Years were spent with a Desk, a Computer, a Telephone, but No Duty Statement, No IN Box, No OUT Box, No Work.
3 Years of getting Paid to do absolutely nothing, then I Retired.
What a lad. Why does the job exist? What do you supposedly do?
I was an officer of the Crown for over 30 years. Busy all the time. Were you at MAFF possibly?
M Scott Sorry no. My time was spent embedded in the Military, as a Special Placement Officer specialising in Military Planning and Operational Logistics.
This series is perfection, like a jewel of writing, acting and production. Imagine the satisfaction in being involved in its creation. The Rolls Royce of sitcoms.
Harrods would sell it.
Very Sir Humphrey!
The look Humphrey gave Bernard was more eloquent than a hundred words. What brilliant acting.
I watched this series over and over, I'll probably watch it before I die. Marvelous, timeless...
I do, then I get depressed because it's all too real.
@@rosemarybishop5776 Exactly
Omg this show is unparalleled. Good stuff.
"Gosh!" So much summed up in that one word.
"This is a Britsh democracy" always makes me laugh
I should have watched this show before receiving my university education in England. It would help me understand the country immensely.
Nigel Hawthorne and Derek Fowlds: great comic actors. Both of them :) .
I know what you meant to write. You meant to say "the cast of Yes Minister are such great comic actors. Both of them." But you were too kind. ;)
The brilliance of the show is you never know what political party anyone is, and it takes enough from both the left and right to properly mock both and yet never be obvious in its biases
There are no parties, civil service owns the country.
At the end of the day, as the show demonstrates, it does not matter which party is in charge. As long as the Civil Service had its influence and power, only a small amount of policy got implemented effectively.
Honestly: I agree with Humphrey's ideas about government. Not his general snobbery, but the principle that most people aren't qualified to govern. I don't think its anti-democratic to say that I don't trust the people. But I do trust their aspirations. I trust their desires, and I put my faith in the things they want.
Humphrey's*
Spot on. Parliamentary democracy is placed to make the decisions, not based on consensus rather experience. That experience makes better decision making in the long run. Endless consultations with the public leads to entrenched positions. We should trust the establishment, thats why they're there
The problem is Humphrey believes his ideas that too - but he doesn't recognise that while you need to think long term, the entire country isn't based on specifically prioritising the things he wants and the other civil servants in his in group. That's just the status quo at the moment so he can hide behind that even to himself. Which is why at least the consideration of alternate viewpoints and perspectives is needed, as long as you don't get bogged down trying to please every person.
That's why the Americans have a Constitutional Republic and not a democratically elected Federal Government based on direct majority rule. Lots of checks and balances were built-in to it because the Founding Fathers never in fact quite trusted the people to always come to sensible and workable solutions. Pity the Democrat Party have forgotten this and are trying to undermine their whole system now because it puts blocks in their way of achieving total and absolute totalitarian power. Modern politicians of all stripes nearly always it seems tend to base their decisions on short-term expediencies, whereas more sober calculating minds in the past with a thought to the future and who were acutely aware of the vagaries of human nature tended to have a longer perspective on such matters.
Here in Britain we have of course, largely because of our long and turbulent history, carefully constructed an illusory democratic system that basically gives us every four or five years what amounts to a Hobson's Choice for those who can be bothered to vote that is. We tend to elect one or the other of the "Westminster Parties" that our real unelected masters deem acceptable for a period. Sir Humphrey was in fact speaking the candid truth of the elitist entitled class here. By way of an illustration of his point, look what a dog's dinner and complete mess Devolution has wrought the UK for instance. The script writer knew his stuff and the dangers of meddling with traditions.
And look what the European Referendum in 2016 and its aftermath have bequeathed to the country also. Nothing but division and strife because that ill-advised clown Cameron in his haste to placate Ukip and save his Party from electoral collapse decided to give the people a true democratic choice based on a simple majority vote wins. True democracy based on such naive notions as simple majorities often gives unwelcome outcomes to those who believe they should always be in charge. No wonder the UK Civil Service had kittens when the result was announced. I bet they rued the day they allowed him to call (what for them now was) his "wretched Referendum". It screwed up forty years of certainty and their cosy management of our country with their fellow beurocrats in Brussels you see.
@@Spinnermist It's a slipperly slope and it's hard to keep the balance on it.
I actually agree with sir Huphrey. In India we have local govt and what Sir Humphrey says is true....
Maybe you should keep an eye to the barbarians , then ! They are coming to take your precious operas ! Both of them ...
India is just a shit hole though, it's near impossible comparing the two nations.
@@allovdem
No, it is not.
On the contrary: It is quite educational to compare things not identical.
You need to protect the IITs and the IIMs.
@@mirzaahmed6589 and the cultural centers that barbarians would never appreciate
In the end, Sir Humphrey was right. Sad, but true.
He wasn't completely wrong.
Now we know why the Brexit will take more than "seven years of fruitful work!".
Think of all the new trade deals that need to be drafted. The new border agreement that they will need to draft with the Republic of Ireland. New immigration policies that need to be drafted and implemented. The British civil service will need to increase its ranks by 1/3, and they will still be working their fingers to the bone.
@@Sewblon Hey, you forgot the policies that need to be redrafted from the redraft of the draft.
@@narendrapanse7844 You are right. The civil service will need to employ the whole of Great Britain, plus all of Iceland to get this done.
@@Sewblon Well, on the upside at least there will be no cod-war.
@@narendrapanse7844 How do you figure?
Comedy's golden age! Not a single swear word! Just pure genius!
Bernard was definitely the most underrated character in this series, but Humphrey and hacker were both brilliant as well. Frankly every character was brilliant lmao
He was! Actually it wasn't intended for Bernard to get into the 3some in the first series, but he was that good they wrote more plots into the 2nd series for Bernard to enjoy
Derek said in a documentary (I believe in one about Nigel) that both leading actors (Nigel and Paul) went to the writers after the first series aired, and asked them to give more lines to him. Such great people they were.
Such a great show! How did the BBC lose it’s way?
They tried to match ITV programmes, forgetting ratings are less important than quality. Especially when they don't even have adverts so don't even need the big ratings. Basically more stupid people in charge of the BBC for the last two decades.
Philip Osborne why did they tried to, and successfully shut Top Gear down then, when it’s at the forefront of low brow mass media? Isn’t that where they want to go? Weren’t Top Gear one of the few profitable shows by the BBC? They even have a tour and a live show. It’s puzzling. I don’t know what the BBC really wants anymore.
'..the wrong people got into power'.
@@lc9245
The BBC didn't want to get rid of Jeremy Clarkson (which wasn't the same thing as 'getting rid of Top Gear'), the 'incident' happened at an inopportune time as the BBC was heavily trying to crack down on 'workplace bullying' at the time, and Clarkson handled the incident very badly, from what I understand: he didn't really go to the people in the BBC on his side and let the narrative be controlled by people who disliked him.
I don't think the BBC actually wanted to fire Clarkson, but they felt they had to: whether they actually had to is a matter of debate.
@@IamGrimalkin In the interview with Mr Producer, he claimed that the BBC didn't like them and once they had the opportunity, those who disliked them pushed for Clarkson's removal and it got through. He might be exaggerating their beef with the BBC, but I can certainly see why the BBC executives dislike Top Gear constant controversy, huge expenses and even had to share profits with Mr Producer and Clarkson.
"The average person is too easily swayed by superficiality."
Truer words have never been spoken.
Well educated, well informed, self thinking individuals are nowhere welcome in our society.
@@maxmustermann9587 Exactly. Which is a convincing argument against universal suffrage
@@mscott3918
You're misinterpreting me.
It is a statement about how rotten our society is and not about elections.
Regarding _universal suffrage_ :
For me, universal suffrage is just the first step.
Right now the upper 10%, the ruling body, do profit by keeping the masses stupid. Only when the whole society is permeated by *universal suffrage and public participation,* when the upper 10% can not avoid being affected by stupid decision of the masses anymore, then _"well educated, well informed, self thinking individuals"_ will be welcomed in our society. That, I think, is what will lead to democracy and justice.
Unfortunately a flawed argument. The problem with universal suffrage is that history shows the mob will support whoever promises what they want over those who plan for what they actually need.
The older I get, the more I realize how true many of the jokes in this series are. And not just in the UK!
What I found ammusing was how Sir Humphrey merely looked at Bernard and he started backtracking.
He is a gentle soul and has trouble standing up to bullies. When he finally stands up to Humphrey in The Key, it's the best thing in the world!!
A simple look from Sir Humphrey and even the sternest crumble to dust.
Brilliant! Everything you ever need to understand about UK government in a nutshell. It's all still largely true, and so after you've done laughing, just have a little think for a moment ...
Should be compulsory viewing for all school leavers, indeed all voters for that matter.
* Any goberment
It did a great job in influencing the British public against the EU and against the European nationals in their midst. How many people are aware that one of the scriptwriters, Sir Anthony Jay, was also a speechwriter for Margaret Thatcher. No wonder it was her favorite TV programme.
@@giovanniacuto2688 说的太过真实，现实的冰冷带给我们麻木不仁。
@@telvanniretainer2274 Some larger businesses as well, tbh.
@@zincwing4475 True, megacorps are huge
What amazing actors, what an amazing script. I think we all view with eyes and ears of appreciation and this elevates it even further. The BBC at it's dizzy heights.
BOTH OF THEM BRILLANT
I tell you the delivery of the lines in this series by these people are just astoundingly amazing.
"The University..both of them" brilliant!!
Such a classic! Well written and still relevant today. There needs to be a supercut of everytime Bernard says "gosh!" 😂
No wise person would even THINK of trying to ring Mrs. Thatcher when this was on!
This was one of greatest tv shows ever , sooo underrated ...
Haha, I used to watch Yes Minister when I was a kid in Portugal, and even though I liked it I didn't fully comprehend it, now that I'm old(er) I can appreciate it so much more, the Yes Ministers series are great.
I was a college student in Virginia when I used to watch it. Always thought it was funny even though a lot of the political humor was over my head. I thought the butt kissing was hilarious.
Are you still enjoy watching yes prime minister because it's amazing how they can manipulate words to justify whatever they are discussing full stop it is a real eye opener and it's fun to watch
The way he looks at him is priceless!
This show is absolutely fabulous. It's always good for a laugh. 😂😂😂
First thought hilarious cheered me up in these COVID times
Second thought why am I laughing this is bloody true Depression sets in
My favourite line in the first episode “The people have the right to be ignorant”
I can't help it, I agree with Humphrey 😂
It's the writing that's the key...wonder what Jay and Lynne would have to say today?
Cleverist funniest comedy ever written. Pure genius and oh so so true, sir Humphries was a masterpiece!
This clip is the best I have ever encountered XD!!
"Princess, the Corporate Sector has had the same goal for at least the last 100 years: to create a disunited galaxy. In that cause, we have fought with the pirates against the Trade Federation, with the Separatists against the Republic, the Rebel Alliance against the Galactic Empire and with the First Order against the New Republic and Resistance. Divide and rule we say. Why should we change now? When it's worked so well?"
"Those were all wars of great struggle!"
"Yes, and great opportunity. We had to break up the New Republic so we had to get outside. We tried to break it up from the inside but that wouldn't work. Now that we are outside we can make a complete Geonosis of the whole thing. Set the New Republic against the First Order, the First Order against the Resistance, the Resistance against the Hutts.... the foreign office is terribly pleased. It's just like old times."
This should have been watched before they set up the Scottish parliament.
I am sure you can manage a Deniroesque half-laugh-half-lament...
As if the Highlanders have any power, all there is are a bunch of bourgeois Anglo-Scots who feel held back by the awful reactionary English. Oh what a shame. Hell I'd like to see the clans restored to greatness, but it won't be done by the SNP.
@George Job "Keep the Highland hordes at bay ??" Yes.
"We can rule ourselves and the sooner the better .." A bunch of drunk Glaswegians?
I always thought regional parliaments were a bad idea, little did i know Sir Humphrey thought so too, and for the same reasons.
Enlighten me why England, Scotland, Wales, and NIrl in any shape, sense or form shall be treated as if they were own independent countries in a union with each others like former Yugoslavia or USSR were if not for claiming the right to participate under own flags in Euro football.
This is a British democracy!!!
"This is a British democracy..." - damn, what a magnificent line!
Still so relevant today: shows how little politics has changed.
Scenes like this never get old
I've worked for three different government departments in my time and I can you now its spot on, the vast majority of work isnt work its just to keep you busy or rather make the department look like its busy.
Having worked for 3 government departments. a quango and the House of Lords, I don't necessarily agree with you.
I hope the bbc can spend sometime restore this drama and turn into HD. I will buy it
"....the Universities - both of them!"
It's funny how I've gone from thinking that this is a funny representation of the problem to actually being a funny representation of why the system works.
Enjoyed this so much. It's funny because it's true.
Such a brilliant show. Ahead of it’s time and spot on.
Not ahead of its time time moved people didn't 😂
We’ve seen how well regional government has gone. Divided the nation and wastes even more money with another layer of government and public servants. Hooray.
Thanks. Absolutely brilliant send up of the way things must be. Hilariously funny and sadly true, all at the same time.
This explains Brexit right there.
The universities... both of them. The greatest in line the history of British television.
BREXIT is an example of what happens when you give power to the people - disaster, and then to the politicians - calamitous disaster. But the civil service, regrouped, understood, and have turned this catastrophe into a winning situation - they have taken on an extra 15,000 staff (aka unelected bureaucrats) to do the work that the EU used to do for the UK, and in the process given themselves even more power having successfully advised that the huge extra workload for ministers can be handled by extra civil servants who will make all the small, medium & large decisions for them allowing the ministers to focus on the really big issues, like their popularity and photo opportunities. 40 odd years later, nothing has changed..
This should be under the educational category of TH-cam.
My favourite episode of both YM and YPM is when Jim has to pick a new Bishop. Perfectly illustrates the absurdity of an established church and the status of the CofE as just another cultural institution of the upper-middle class and upper class of England.
One of the best scenes ever recorded for TV anywhere.
British democracy and everywhere British colonization happened. The Commonwealth democracy is the appropriate word now.
You really think it's just "british colonization?" This is government in general. This is bureaucracy. Mechanically speaking a "governor" is something put in place to restrain, control, or inhibit free operation to a way that part decides is preferable. "My truck has a governor that prevents it from going over 65mph."
It's scenes like this that have always, personally, been demonstrative of how complicated it is to balance long term policy thinking, political cycles and (arguably) popularist sentiments in the public. Cause imo Humphrey or Arnold, Hacker and someone speaking for the public all have valid points
Both of them! Roooofl
“With great power comes with great responsibility” To be honest, they are still better than those grabbing the power and do nothing with it
"the system to protect the important things in life and keep them out of the hands of the barbarians"
Things like... the Opera , Radio 3.. rofl
Well he's quite right.
Not mentioned is the fact that these _barbarians_ are homemade. Homemade with unemployment or the fear of it, miserable education and much more miserable information and entertainment policies.
What is Radio 3?
@@LazarSoljaga Radio 3 is a radio station that broadcasts opera and classical music
@@MattyFez Im guessing its a government station since Sir Humphrey likes it...
@@LazarSoljaga Yes, it's run by the BBC
Humphrey's "Some might indeed, Bernard." is delivered just perfectly.
As long as the universities are here, both of them, this joke will never get old
Bernard doesn't want power but goes on to be the head of the civil service
"If the right people don't have power, do you know what happens? The WRONG people get it!"
😂😂😂😂
Sir Humphrey perfectly encapsulates why the NHS and PHE are incapable of ordering adequate PPE for front line workers.
"Months of fruitful work!" !!!
Humphery is The Man.
I sort of agree with Sir Humphrey.
Most anyone who listens to NPR does.
bulbadox That's because he's right. This was written as satire by people who Sir Humphrey would call "barbarians" who want to wreck exactly what he says they do.
Ironic, yes?
FurryAminal well...not ironic but most of his views are grounded in harsh realities, the real democracy is not practicable because the society would abuse its privileges to the fullest extent so therefore we can't expect everyone to be like-minded & educated who'd responsibly exercise their freedoms. In fact, Britain is exactly what he describes - it's an aristocratic government under the guise of democracy....just change the names and people would accept pretty much anything you tell them.
The liberal elite need to believe they're right. Else they're just a gang of petty aristocratic hypocrites promoting their own selfish claims for personal power and unearned wealth at the expense of everyone else. Who wants to believe that?
+bulbadox
Yes. The British Political System has hardly changed in 100's of years, despite American TV shows banging on about "Fweedurmm!" LOL.
When I argue that we are still serfs and the public is conditioned by mass media, I'm NOT criticising the System, I'm suggesting that oblivious people (those who imagine democatic power is in the hands of the ignorant little people) are being daft. LOL!
The older I get the more sympathy I find in Sir Humphery's point of view
Both the Universities.... lol! I'll have to assume Oxford and Cambridge.
Are there any others in the UK? /s
If you watch Blackadder you’ll realise he means Cambridge and Hull! 😂
@@joekerr3638 As a matter of fact, the security services also recruit from UCL, ICSM, St Andrews, Manchester and Durham. Public School, Oxbridge then Whitehall does not quite cover all the life experiences necessary to administer a country. Unfortunately....
1.48 - if there was ever a truer line about having power.... pity 4 years ago this clip wasn't getting more media attention..