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Liberty is not the power of doing what we like, but the right of being able to do what we ought.

Related Topics

Able Being Do Liberty Ought Power Right

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Marilyn Monroe Paulo Coelho Abraham Lincoln C. S. Lewis Khalil Gibran Charlie Chaplin Gautama Buddha Isaac Newton

Limitation is essential to authority. A government is legitimate only if it is effectively limited.
LORD ACTON

Authority Essential Limitation
Liberty is not the power of doing what we like, but the right of being able to do what we ought.
LORD ACTON

Able Being Do Liberty Ought Power Right
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.
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Almost Always Authority Great Influence Men Stillmore
We are not sure we are right until we have made the best case possible for those who are wrong.
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Case Made Possible Sure Thing Wrong
There is not a more perilous or immoral habit of mind than the sanctifying of success.
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Habit Mind More Perilous Sanctifying Succes
Be generous before you are just. Do not temper mercy with justice.
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Before Generous Justice Mercy Temper
There is no error so monstrous that it fails to find defenders among the ablest men.
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Ablest Defender Error Failing Men Monstrous
Democracy generally monopolizes and concentrates power.
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Concentration Democracy Generally Monopolize Power
Opinions alter, manners change, creeds rise and fall, but the moral law is written on the tablets of eternity.
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Change Creed Eternity Fail Fall Law Manner Moral Opinion Table Tablet
When the revolutionary theory of government began to prevail, and Church and State found that they were educating for opposite ends and in a contradictory spirit, it became necessary to remove children entirely from the influence of religion.
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Children Church Educate Entire Necessary Opposite Religion Remove State
But when modern absolutism arose, it laid claim to everything on behalf of the sovereign power….
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Absolutism Behalf Claim Everything Laid Modern Power Sovereign
It is bad to be oppressed by a minority, but it is worse to be oppressed by a majority.
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Bad Majority Minority Oppress
Every class is unfit to govern.
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Class Unfit
The common vice of democracy is disregard for morality.
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Common Democracy Morality Vice Vices
The danger is not that a particular class is unfit to govern: every class is unfit to govern.
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Clas Class Danger Every Govern Particular Unfit
Liberty, next to religion has been the motive of good deeds and the common pretext of crime.
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Common Crime Deed Good Liberty Motive Next
Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end.
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Freedom Higher Highest Liberty Mean Politics Wisdom
It is easier to find people fit to govern themselves than people fit to govern others.
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Easier Find Fit Govern People Themselves
Authority that does not exist for Liberty is not authority but force.
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Authority Exist Force Liberty
Liberty and good government do not exclude each other; and there are excellent reasons why they should go together.
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Emna Excellent Good Government Higher Mean Political Reason Together
Socialism means slavery.
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Mean Slavery Socialism
Moral precepts are constant through the ages and not obedient to circumstances.
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Age Circumstance Constant Moral Obedient Through
The true guide of our conduct is no outward authority, but the voice of God, who comes down to dwell in our souls, who knows all our thoughts, to whom are owing all the truth we know, and all the good we do; for vice is voluntary, and virtue comes from the grace of the heavenly spirit within.
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Come Conduct Down God Grace Guide Know Our Outward Soul Voice
Fanaticism in religion is the alliance of the passions she condemns with the dogmas she professes.
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Alliances Dogma Fanaticism Passion Professes Religious
The passion for power over others can never cease to threaten mankind, and is always sure of finding new and unforseen allies in continuing its martyrology.
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Allies Always Cease Continue Mankind Passion Power Sure Threaten Unforeseen
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

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