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Authority that does not exist for Liberty is not authority but force.

Lord Acton

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.
LORD ACTON

Art Criminal Despot Die Emancipate Excuse Last Nation Preacher Reformer
A generous spirit prefers that his country should be poor, and weak, and of no account, but free, rather than powerful, prosperous, and enslaved.
LORD ACTON

Account Country Ensalve Generous Powerful Spirit
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
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
For centuries it was never discovered that education was a function of the State, and the State never attempted to educate.
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Absolutism Attempt Century Children Discover Function Government Modern Opposite State
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
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
Great men are almost always bad men.
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Corrupt Great Men Power
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
Liberty is the prevention of control by others. This requires self-control and, therefore, religious and spiritual influences; education, knowledge, well-being.
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Control Liberty Other Prevention
Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end.
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End Higher Liberty Mean Political
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
The minority can seldom resist. But from the absolute will of an entire people there is no appeal, no redemption, no refuge but treason.
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Absolute Appear Entire Minority People Redemption Resist Seldom Treason
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
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
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

Authority that does not exist for Liberty is not authority but force.

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Authority that does not exist for Liberty is not authority but force.

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