, DL
(10 January 1834 – 19 June 1902), known as Sir John Dalberg-Acton, 8th Bt from 1837 to 1869 and usually referred to simply as Lord Acton, was an English
Catholic
historian, politician, and writer. He was the only son of Sir Ferdinand Dalberg-Acton, 7th Baronet and a grandson of the Neapolitan
admiral Sir John Acton, 6th Baronet
. He is famous for his remark, often misquoted: "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Lord Acton's grandfather, who in 1791 succeeded to the baronetcy and family estates in Shropshire
, previously held by the English branch of the Acton family, represented a younger branch which had transferred itself first to France
and then to Italy
.
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.
Every thing secret degenerates, even the administration of justice; nothing is safe that does not show how it can bear discussion and publicity.
The danger is not that a particular class is unfit to govern. Every class is unfit to govern. The law of liberty tends to abolish the reign of race over race, of faith over faith, of class over class.
There is no worse heresy than that the office sanctifies the holder of it.
Advice to Persons About to Write History — Don't.
Liberty is the prevention of control by others. This requires self-control and, therefore, religious and spiritual influences; education, knowledge, well-being.