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Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end.

Lord Acton

Monarchy hardens into despotism. Aristocracy contracts into oligarchy. Democracy expands into the supremacy of numbers.
LORD ACTON

Aristocracy Contract Democracy Fanaticism Number Religious
Political differences essentially depend on disagreement in moral principles.
LORD ACTON

Differences Disagreement Essential Moral Political Principles
Progress, the religion of those who have none.
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None Progress Religion
Great men are almost always bad men.
LORD ACTON

Corrupt Great Men Power
The science of politics is the one science that is deposited by the streams of history, like the grains of gold in the sand of a river; and the knowledge of the past, the record of truths revealed by experience, is eminently practical, as an instrument of action and a power that goes to making the future.
LORD ACTON

Gold Grainm Stream Knowledge Past Politics River Rivers Sand Science
Those who have more power are liable to sin more; no theorem in geometry is more certain than this.
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Atheism Certain Geometry More Power Sin Theorem
It is bad to be oppressed by a minority, but it is worse to be oppressed by a majority. For there is a reserve of latent power in the masses which, if it is called into play.
LORD ACTON

Majority Minorities Oppressed People Play Worse
Authority that does not exist for Liberty is not authority but force.
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Authority Exist Force Liberty
A liberal is only a bundle of prejudices until he has mastered, has understood, experienced the philosophy of Conservatism.
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Bundles Experience Master Philosophy Prejudice Understand
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
At all times sincere friends of freedom have been rare, and its triumphs have been due to minorities, that have prevailed by associating themselves with auxiliaries whose objects often differed from their own; and this association, which is always dangerous, has sometimes been disastrous.
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Associate Association Country Friend Minorities Person Racem People Sincere Themselves Time Triumph
In England Parliament is above the law. In America the law is above Congress.
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Above Congress Country Law Parliament Place
The issue which has swept down the centuries and which will have to be fought sooner or later is the people versus the banks.
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Bank Century Down Issue People Sooner Swept
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.
LORD ACTON

Come Conduct Down God Grace Guide Know Our Outward Soul Voice
I cannot accept your canon that we are to judge Pope and King unlike other men, with a favorable presumption that they do no wrong.
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Accept Do Favorable Judge King Men Pope Power Presumption Unlike Wrong
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 ACTON

Alike Almost Benefit Danger End Mne Object Particular Political

Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end.

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Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end.

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