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Lord Acton

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Famous Lord Acton Quotes

“For centuries it was never discovered that education was a function of the State, and the State never attempted to educate. But when modern absolutism arose, it laid claim to everything on behalf of the sovereign power....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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Author:Lord Acton
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“Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end.”

MeanEndsWisdomPoliticalPoliticsFreedomLibertyHigherPoliticianHighestCapitalismLibertarianFreedom And LibertyFreedom LibertyPrivate PropertyProperty RightsLimited GovernmentFree GovernmentLibertarian PartyAbsolute PowerPolitical FreedomRoad To SerfdomAbsolute Power Corrupts Absolutely
Book:The History of Freedom: Great Event
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“Whenever a single definite object is made the supreme end of the State, be it the advantage of a class, the safety of the power of the country, the greatest happiness of the greatest number, or the support of any speculative idea, the State becomes for the time inevitably absolute. Liberty alone demands for its realization the limitation of the public authority, for liberty is the only object which benefits all alike, and provokes no sincere opposition.”

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Book:The History of Freedom: Great Event
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“Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end...liberty is the only object which benefits all alike, and provokes no sincere opposition...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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Author:Lord Acton
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“Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end. It is not for the sake of a good public administration that it is required, but for the security in the pursuit of the highest objects of civil society, and of private life.”

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Book:The History of Freedom (and other Essays)
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