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Fanaticism in religion is the alliance of the passions she condemns with the dogmas she professes.

Lord Acton

Far from being the product of a democratic revolution and of an opposition to English institutions, the constitution of the United States was the result of a powerful reaction against democracy, and in favor of the traditions of the mother country.
LORD ACTON

Constitution Country Institution Mother Powerful Product Result Revolution State
Liberty has not only enemies which it conquers, but perfidious friends, who rob the fruits of its victories: Absolute democracy, socialism.
LORD ACTON

Democracy Enemy Friend Fruit Liberty Socialism Victory
Ink was not invented to express our real feelings.
LORD ACTON

Express Feeling Ink Inverted Real
There are two things which cannot be attacked in front: ignorance and narrow-mindedness. They can only be shaken by the simple development of the contrary qualities. They will not bear discussion.
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Attack Development Ignorance Mindedness Narrow Shaken Simple Thing Two
Monarchy hardens into despotism. Aristocracy contracts into oligarchy. Democracy expands into the supremacy of numbers.
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Aristocracy Contract Democracy Fanaticism Number Religious
The true natural check on absolute democracy is the federal system, which limits the central government by the powers reserved, and the state governments by the powers they have ceded.
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Bnaturem Check Central Democracy Government Limit Power Reserve Stage True
Despotic power is always accompanied by corruption of morality.
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Always Corruption Despotic Morality Power
The test of liberty is the position and security of minorities.
LORD ACTON

Liberty Minorities Security Test
In every age its (liberty’s) progress has been beset by its natural enemies, by ignorance and superstition, by lust of conquest and by love of ease, by the strong man’s craving for power, and the poor man’s craving for food
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Ignorance Liberty Progress Strong Superstition Wisdom
Be not content with the best book; seek sidelights from the others; have no favourites.
LORD ACTON

Best Book Content Delight Favorite Other Seek Sidelight
When the last of the Reformers died, religion, instead of emancipating the nations, had become an excuse for the criminal art of despots. Calvin preached, and Bellarmine lectured; but Machiavelli reigned.
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Art Criminal Despot Die Emancipate Excuse Last Nation Preacher Reformer
A wise person does at once, what a fool does at last. Both do the same thing; only at different times.
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Both Different Fool Last Once Person Same Time Wise
False principles, which correspond with the bad as well as with the just aspirations of mankind, are a normal and necessary element in the social life of nations.
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Aspiration Correspond Element Just Life Mankind Normal Principles Social
The long term versus the short term argument is one used by losers.
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Argument Long Loser Sunset Use
From the absolute will of an entire people there is no appeal, no redemption, no refuge but treason.
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Absolute Appeal Appear People Redemption Refuge Treason
Before God, there is neither Greek nor barbarian, neither rich nor poor, and the slave is as good as his master, for by birth all men are free; they are citizens of the universal commonwealth which embraces all the world, brethren of one family, and children of God.
LORD ACTON

All Birth Children Citizen Country Free God Good Master Men Neither Poor Salve

Fanaticism in religion is the alliance of the passions she condemns with the dogmas she professes.

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Fanaticism in religion is the alliance of the passions she condemns with the dogmas she professes.

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