Great men are almost always bad men.
Lord ActonRead
Men cannot be made good by the state, but they can easily be made bad. Morality depends on liberty.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True morality cannot be enforced by the government; it relies on individual freedom.
Lord Acton's quote emphasizes that while a government may impose laws and regulations, it cannot cultivate true morality in individuals. Instead, moral character is cultivated through liberty, suggesting that personal freedom is essential for moral growth, as people have the choice to be good or bad. When individuals are restrained, their capacity to choose virtuous actions diminishes, leading to a greater potential for immoral behavior.
Themes
MoralityLibertyFreedomGovernmentPhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of individual rights, one might reference this quote to argue against government overreach.
More from Lord Acton
All quotes βSave for the wild force of Nature, nothing moves in this world that is not Greek in its origin.
Lord ActonRead
Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Lord ActonRead
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.
Lord ActonRead
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.
Lord ActonRead
Limitation is essential to authority. A government is legitimate only if it is effectively limited.
Lord ActonRead
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