Great men are almost always bad men.
Lord ActonRead
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 or the certainty of corruption by authority.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Power can lead to moral corruption, especially when it is unchecked or absolute.
This quote by Lord Acton emphasizes the idea that the possession of power often leads to corruption. As individuals gain more authority, the likelihood of their moral compass being compromised increases, suggesting that those in power should be wary of how it can distort their integrity and ethical behavior. Acton argues that even influential individuals can become corrupt, and this potential for corruption intensifies with more authority.
Themes
PowerCorruptionAuthorityInfluenceMorality
In practice
Example use cases
During a lecture on ethics in politics, one might cite this quote to emphasize the need for checks and balances.
More from Lord Acton
All quotes →Save 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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