Full Idea
During WW2 Winston Churchill famously said that democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others that have been tried.
Gist of Idea
Democracy is bad, but the other systems are worse
Source
Adam Swift (Political Philosophy (3rd ed) [2014], 5 'Procedures')
Book Reference
Swift,Adam: 'Political Philosophy (3rd edn)' [Polity 2014], p.203
A Reaction
[Actually a speech in 1947, which began 'it has been said that....'] Aristotle thought an intelligent and benevolent dictatorship was the best form, but held little hope of achieving it. Getting rid of bad rulers is the big virtue.