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The common vice of democracy is disregard for morality.

Lord Acton

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Lord Acton
Morality
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More quotes by Lord Acton

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The passion for power over others can never cease to threaten mankind, and is always sure of finding new and unforseen allies in continuing its martyrology.
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The wisdom of divine rule appears not in the perfection but in the improvement of the world... History is the true demonstration of Religion.
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A government does not desire its powers to be strictly defined, but the subjects require the line to be drawn with increasing precision.
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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.
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The law of liberty tends to abolish the reign of race over race, of faith over faith, of class over class. It is not the realisation of a political ideal: it is the discharge of a moral obligation.
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The State is competent to assign duties and draw the line between good and evil only in its immediate sphere. Beyond the limits of things necessary for its well-being, it can only give indirect help to fight the battle of life by promoting the influences which prevail against temptation--religion, education, and the distribution of wealth.
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The reward of history is that it releases and relieves us from present strife.
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Machiavelli's teaching would hardly have stood the test of Parliamentary government, for public discussion demands at least the profession of good faith.
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Monarchy hardens into despotism. Aristocracy contracts into oligarchy. Democracy expands into the supremacy of numbers.
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From the absolute will of an entire people there is no appeal, no redemption, no refuge but treason.
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Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. 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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There is not a soul who does not have to beg alms of another, either a smile, a handshake, or a fond eye.
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The most certain test by which we judge whether a country is really free is the amount of security enjoyed by minorities.
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The few have not strength to achieve great changes unaided the many have not wisdom to be moved by truth unmixed.
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History is not a burden on the memory but an illumination of the soul.
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I'm not a driven businessman, but a driven artist. I never think about money. Beautiful things make money.
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By liberty I mean the assurance that every man shall be protected in doing what he believes to be his duty against the influences of authority and majorities, custom and opinion.
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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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Before men can find peace and harmony within themselves they must first fall in love with their country.
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It is easier to find people fit to govern themselves than people fit to govern others.
Lord Acton