I don't recall anyone saying stronger beers were higher quality...maybe I missed it, though.
Breweries, though, have long suggested it, designating higher gravity products "best," "special," "premium," and so on. They are costlier, so they want you to think you're getting more value for money, I guess. England has been blessed with the combination of consumers who don't care to pay up, and brewers who know how to pack flavor into small packages.
You know, cruise control had me headed for another mid-range (~14°P) pale ale for next weekend's brew. Thanks to this topic, I'm thinking of a nod to my roots, more Best Bitter-ish -- Golden Promise, ~7-8% light crystal, plenty of flavor and aroma from maybe Cascade and Willamette, no more than 4.0-4.5% ABV... hmm... yeah that's what I need.