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At all times sincere friends of freedom have been rare, and its triumphs have been due to minorities.

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
History, to be above evasion or dispute, must stand on documents, not on opinions.
LORD ACTON

Disputes Document Evasion History Opinion Stand
If there is any presumption, it is the other way against holders of power…power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
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Absolute Corrupt Other Power Presumption Tend
The possession of unlimited power corrodes the conscience, hardens the heart, and confounds the understanding.
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Atheism Confound Heart Possession Ultimate Understanding
Monarchy hardens into despotism. Aristocracy contracts into oligarchy. Democracy expands into the supremacy of numbers.
LORD ACTON

Aristocracy Contract Democracy Fanaticism Number Religious
The common vice of democracy is disregard for morality.
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Common Democracy Morality Vice Vices
Ink was not invented to express our real feelings.
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Express Feeling Ink Inverted Real
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.
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Alike Almost Benefit Danger End Mne Object Particular Political
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.
LORD ACTON

Bnaturem Check Central Democracy Government Limit Power Reserve Stage True
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
Though oppression may give rise to violent and repeated outbreaks, like the convulsions of a man in pain, it cannot mature a settled purpose and plan of regeneration, unless a new notion of happiness is joined to the sense of present evil.
LORD ACTON

Convulsion Evil Give Man Men Oppression Outbreak Pain Purpose Repeat Settle Violent
Liberty is the prevention of control by others. This requires self-control and, therefore, religious and spiritual influences; education, knowledge, well-being.
LORD ACTON

Control Liberty Other Prevention
History provides neither compensation for suffering nor penalties for wrong.
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Compensation History Penalties Provide Suffering
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
Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end.
LORD ACTON

End Higher Liberty Mean Political

At all times sincere friends of freedom have been rare, and its triumphs have been due to minorities.

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At all times sincere friends of freedom have been rare, and its triumphs have been due to minorities.

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