Great men are almost always bad men.
Lord ActonRead
Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that the more power one has, the more likely they are to be corrupted by it.
Lord Acton's quote highlights the inherent dangers of power, implying that even a small amount of power can lead to corruption, while a large amount of power can result in total moral decay. It serves as a warning that those in positions of authority must be vigilant about the potential for their power to corrupt their integrity and ethical considerations.
Themes
PowerCorruptionAbsolutismAuthorityEthics
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about political leadership and ethics.
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
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
To develop and perfect and arm conscience is the great achievement of history.
Lord ActonRead
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