Lord Acton

Lord Acton [ 1834 - 1902 ] was talented, multilingual, influential and a passionate Catholic. His big move was opposing the claim of Papal infallibility which arose at the Vatican Council in 1869 and gave rise to his most famous saying. One snag with infallibility is that it confirms Papal positions regarding Jewish guilt in murdering Jesus, the Crusades, Inquisitions and other matters which do not always sit well with modern consciences or the enemies of Holy Mother Church.

Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely
QUOTE
This arose as a quotation by Lord Acton in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton in 1887:

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."

UNQUOTE
The first part of the quotation is well known. I think we lost something by forgetting the last sentence. Think of Bush, Blair, Cheney, Stalin, Hitler and all too many others. NB Most people who quote Lord Acton's Dictum are unaware that it refers to Papal power and was made by a Catholic, albeit not an unquestioning one.

The great man had more pointed sayings which were based on a deep historical knowledge.

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, the minority can seldom resist. But from the absolute will of an entire people there is no appeal, no redemption, no refuge but treason.
Lord Acton
 

Learn as much by writing as by reading.

Lord Acton

 

The man who prefers his country before any other duty shows the same spirit as the man who surrenders every right to the state. They both deny that right is superior to authority.