Lord Acton

Power corrupt absolute great men bad authority

“Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority; still more when you superadd the tendency of the certainty of corruption by authority.”

—Lord Acton (1834-1902)

despotic power corruption morality

“Despotic power is always accompanied by corruption of morality.”

—Lord Acton (1834-1902)

absolute power demoralize

“Absolute power demoralizes.”

—Lord Acton (1834-1902)

liberty moral politics

“Liberty becomes a question of morals more than of politics.”

—Lord Acton (1834-1902)

liberty harmony will law

“Liberty is the harmony between the will and the law.”

—Lord Acton (1834-1902)

towns nursery freedom

“Towns were the nursery of freedom.”

—Lord Acton (1834-1902)

political atheism end means inimical liberty

“Political atheism: End justifies the means. This is still the most widespread of all the opinions inimical to liberty.”

—Lord Acton (1834-1902)

moral precept constant circumstance

“Moral precepts are constant through the ages and not obedient to circumstances.”

—Lord Acton (1834-1902)

self-preservation self-denial political economy

“Self-preservation and self-denial, the basis of all political economy.”

—Lord Acton (1834-1902)

bureaucracy weapon despotic government power

“Bureaucracy is undoubtedly the weapon and sign of a despotic government, inasmuch as it gives whatever government it serves, despotic power.”

—Lord Acton (1834-1902)

bureaucracy administrative maxim minister control

“Bureaucracy tries to establish so many administrative maxims that the minister is as narrowly controlled and guided as the judge.”

—Lord Acton (1834-1902)

men good state bad morality liberty

“Men cannot be made good by the state, but they can easily be made bad. Morality depends on liberty.”

—Lord Acton (1834-1902)

democracy monopolize concentrate power

“Democracy generally monopolizes and concentrates power.”

—Lord Acton (1834-1902)

americans dread democracy contrieve constitution

“Americans dreaded democracy and contrived their constitution against it.”

—Lord Acton (1834-1902)