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To develop and perfect and arm conscience is the great achievement of history.
Lord Acton
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote emphasizes the importance of cultivating one's moral compass throughout history.

Lord Acton highlights that throughout the course of history, the true achievement lies in the development, perfection, and empowerment of human conscience. This suggests that moral awareness and ethical understanding are pivotal for societal progress and improvement.

Themes

ConscienceHistoryMoral DevelopmentEthical GrowthAchievement

In practice

Example use cases

During a debate about historical figures, one might quote Lord Acton to emphasize the importance of moral responsibility.

More from Lord Acton

Great men are almost always bad men.
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Save for the wild force of Nature, nothing moves in this world that is not Greek in its origin.
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Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
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Liberty and good government do not exclude each other; and there are excellent reasons why they should go together. Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end.
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Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end...liberty is the only object which benefits all alike, and provokes no sincere opposition...The danger is not that a particular class is unfit to govern. ~ Every class is unfit to govern ... Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.
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Limitation is essential to authority. A government is legitimate only if it is effectively limited.
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