Great men are almost always bad men.
Lord ActonRead
Live both in the future and the past. Who does not live in the past does not live in the future.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the importance of learning from the past while also preparing for the future.
Lord Acton's quote reflects on the necessity of acknowledging and understanding our past experiences and how they shape our future. By appreciating our history, we gain insights that can guide our decisions and actions moving forward, suggesting that a balanced perspective between past and future is essential for a fulfilling life.
Themes
FuturePastLifeLearningInsight
In practice
Example use cases
During a graduation speech, one might say this quote to inspire students to reflect on their journey and plan their future.
More from Lord Acton
All quotes βSave for the wild force of Nature, nothing moves in this world that is not Greek in its origin.
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Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
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Liberty and good government do not exclude each other; and there are excellent reasons why they should go together. Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end.
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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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Limitation is essential to authority. A government is legitimate only if it is effectively limited.
Lord ActonRead
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