In so much of politics you're not allowed to disagree with

The words of Iain Banks — “In so much of politics you’re not allowed to disagree with what’s been agreed.” — echo with the weight of chains laid upon thought itself. He reveals the paradox of politics, where decisions once sealed are guarded not as truths but as idols. To question them becomes heresy, even when wisdom or conscience cries out for change. In these few words, he unmasks the suffocating force of conformity that turns debate into silence and living governance into rigid dogma.

The meaning of his words lies in the recognition that power often fears dissent more than defeat. For in politics, leaders and parties bind themselves to agreements — treaties, policies, compromises — and then forbid anyone to challenge them, lest the fragile façade of unity crack. Thus, what was meant to be a tool of governance becomes a prison of thought. Banks warns us that when disagreement is stifled, when questioning is silenced, the lifeblood of democracy dries, and the realm of politics decays into mere performance.

History is rich with examples. In the Soviet Union, dissent against official doctrine was forbidden; to question what had been “agreed” by the Party meant exile, imprisonment, or death. Yet even in freer nations, the same pattern arises more subtly. Consider the years before the Iraq War, when many governments marched in lockstep, silencing voices that dared to question the “agreed” path. Later, when the truth of false evidence emerged, the cost of stifled dissent was paid in blood and ruin. In both cases, Banks’ warning proves prophetic: agreements unchallenged become disasters uncorrected.

The origin of his statement rests in his life as both novelist and social critic, a man unafraid to pierce the illusions of power. His voice was one of those who refused to bow before what was “agreed,” choosing instead the harder path of skepticism and satire. By saying this, Banks takes his place among the ancient chorus of truth-tellers who remind rulers that agreement is not always wisdom, and unity is not always justice.

Therefore, O seekers of wisdom, let this teaching endure: never accept that disagreement is forbidden, for questioning is the guardian of freedom. To disagree is not to betray, but to keep the flame of truth alive. As Banks reminds us, the greatest danger in politics is not conflict but silence — when all bow their heads to what has been “agreed” and no one dares to ask if it is right. Let your voices be fearless, for only by disagreement can nations remain alive, and only by questioning can humanity hope to rise.