Lord Acton Biography

Born asJohn Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton
Occup.Historian
FromUnited Kingdom
BornJanuary 10, 1834
Naples, Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
DiedJune 19, 1902
Tegernsee, Kingdom of Bavaria, German Empire
Aged68 years
Early Life and Education
John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton, known as Lord Acton, was born upon January 10, 1834, in Naples, then part of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. He was born into an aristocratic household with a lineage that integrated British, Irish, and French-German ancestry. His dad, Sir Ferdinand Richard Edward Acton, was part of the British aristocracy, and his mother, Marie Louise Pelline von Dalberg, was a noblewoman from Germany with strong connections to the European elite.

Acton's education was deeply influenced by his global background. He was very first informed in your home in France, before participating in a Catholic school in England. Later, he pursued further research studies at the University of Munich under the renowned religious historian Johann Joseph Ignaz von Döllinger. Döllinger ended up being a significant intellectual and spiritual mentor to Acton and exceptionally affected his historic and doctrinal point of views.

Profession
Lord Acton is best called a historian, political leader, and writer, with a focus on the history of liberty and ethical and political approach. His deep Catholic faith and commitment to the perfects of freedom became the foundation of his intellectual work. In 1859, he became editor of the "Rambler", a Catholic month-to-month publication, where he often expressed his views on the crossway of religious beliefs and politics. Nevertheless, his sincere criticism of ultramontanism within the Catholic Church led to controversies and tensions with the ecclesiastical authorities.

In the political sphere, Acton was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Irish district of Carlow in 1859, a position he held till 1865. However, his influence extended far beyond the House of Commons, as he was frequently consulted for his eager insights on religious and European matters.

Acton's substantial personal library showed his broad intellectual curiosity and became one of the most considerable private collections of its time, focusing on modern history, religious history, and political theory.

The Historians and Influencers Around Him
Acton's relationship with Döllinger remained important throughout his life. Döllinger not just mentored Acton academically however also presented him to an international academic neighborhood. Döllinger's rejection to accept the teaching of papal infallibility in 1870 resonated deeply with Acton, who shared these criticisms of the Church's centralizing propensities.

Acton corresponded with numerous popular intellectuals, including William Ewart Gladstone, the British Prime Minister, with whom he shared a deep relationship and shared regard. Their correspondence often touched upon subjects of liberty, governance, and the difficulties of the contemporary world.

The Cambridge Years and "Power Corrupts"
In 1895, Lord Acton was selected Regius Professor of Modern History at the University of Cambridge. Though he had actually not previously held a scholastic position, his bibliographical understanding and theoretical technique to history made him a renowned figure among students and associates. His lectures were marked by a profound commitment to the ethical dimensions of history.

Possibly Acton's most famous contribution to political idea was the dictum: "Power tends to corrupt, and outright power corrupts definitely". This quote exceptionally records his view that ethical integrity ought to stand at the heart of political life and scholarship.

Later Life and Legacy
Lord Acton committed his later years to writing and lecturing. Regardless of vast amounts of research and a lifetime of research study, he released relatively little throughout his lifetime. Nonetheless, his vast correspondence and lectures left a long lasting influence on the fields of history and political theory.

He died on June 19, 1902, in Tegernsee, Bavaria, leaving a substantial yet incomplete job: an extensive history of liberty.

Acton's legacy withstands, especially through his views on the relationship between power and morality. His rigorous requirements for historical scholarship and his dedication to exploring the complex balance in between authority and liberty continue to affect historians and political theorists today.

Our collection contains 27 quotes who is written / told by Lord, under the main topic Government.

Related authors: Marie Louise (Royalty), Lawrence Taylor (Athlete)

Frequently Asked Questions
  • Q: Lord Acton freedom quote
    A: One of Acton's notable quotes is 'Liberty is not the power of doing what we like, but the right of being able to do what we ought.'
  • Q: Lord Acton Catholic
    A: Lord Acton was a devout Catholic and often wrote on the relationship between religion and politics.
  • Q: When did Lord Acton say power corrupts
    A: Lord Acton expressed this idea in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton in 1887.
  • Q: Lord Acton power corrupts
    A: He coined the phrase 'Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely' to suggest that as one's power increases, their moral compass may decline.
  • Q: Lord Acton definition of history
    A: Lord Acton viewed history as a means to inform moral judgment, and believed it should be studied to understand the truth about humanity.
  • Q: Absolute power corrupts absolutely Lord Acton
    A: Lord Acton famously stated that 'Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.'
  • Q: How old was Lord Acton?
    A: He became 68 years old
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27 Famous quotes by Lord Acton

Small: The one pervading evil of democracy is the tyranny of the majority, or rather of that party, not always
"The one pervading evil of democracy is the tyranny of the majority, or rather of that party, not always the majority, that succeeds, by force or fraud, in carrying elections"
Small: The issue which has swept down the centuries and which will have to be fought sooner or later is the pe
"The issue which has swept down the centuries and which will have to be fought sooner or later is the people versus the banks"
Small: Property is not the sacred right. When a rich man becomes poor it is a misfortune, it is not a moral ev
"Property is not the sacred right. When a rich man becomes poor it is a misfortune, it is not a moral evil. When a poor man becomes destitute, it is a moral evil, teeming with consequences and injurious to society and morality"
Small: The long term versus the short term argument is one used by losers
"The long term versus the short term argument is one used by losers"
Small: A wise person does at once, what a fool does at last. Both do the same thing only at different times
"A wise person does at once, what a fool does at last. Both do the same thing; only at different times"
Small: The man who prefers his country before any other duty shows the same spirit as the man who surrenders e
"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"
Small: Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely
"Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely"
Small: Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely
"Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely"
Small: Opinions alter, manners change, creeds rise and fall, but the moral laws are written on the table of et
"Opinions alter, manners change, creeds rise and fall, but the moral laws are written on the table of eternity"
Small: Machiavellis teaching would hardly have stood the test of Parliamentary government, for public discussi
"Machiavelli's teaching would hardly have stood the test of Parliamentary government, for public discussion demands at least the profession of good faith"
Small: Liberty is not the power of doing what we like, but the right to do what we ought
"Liberty is not the power of doing what we like, but the right to do what we ought"
Small: Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end
"Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end"
Small: Learn as much by writing as by reading
"Learn as much by writing as by reading"
Small: If some great catastrophe is not announced every morning, we feel a certain void. Nothing in the paper
"If some great catastrophe is not announced every morning, we feel a certain void. Nothing in the paper today, we sigh"
Small: Im not a driven businessman, but a driven artist. I never think about money. Beautiful things make mone
"I'm not a driven businessman, but a driven artist. I never think about money. Beautiful things make money"
Small: History is not a burden on the memory but an illumination of the soul
"History is not a burden on the memory but an illumination of the soul"
Small: Every thing secret degenerates, even the administration of justice nothing is safe that does not show h
"Every thing secret degenerates, even the administration of justice; nothing is safe that does not show how it can bear discussion and publicity"
Small: Be not content with the best book seek sidelights from the others have no favourites
"Be not content with the best book; seek sidelights from the others; have no favourites"
Small: And remember, where you have a concentration of power in a few hands, all too frequently men with the m
"And remember, where you have a concentration of power in a few hands, all too frequently men with the mentality of gangsters get control. History has proven that"
Small: The danger is not that a particular class is unfit to govern: every class is unfit to govern
"The danger is not that a particular class is unfit to govern: every class is unfit to govern"
Small: Socialism means slavery
"Socialism means slavery"
Small: Save for the wild force of Nature, nothing moves in this world that is not Greek in its origin
"Save for the wild force of Nature, nothing moves in this world that is not Greek in its origin"
Small: To be able to look back upon ones past life with satisfaction is to live twice
"To be able to look back upon one's past life with satisfaction is to live twice"
Small: There is not a soul who does not have to beg alms of another, either a smile, a handshake, or a fond ey
"There is not a soul who does not have to beg alms of another, either a smile, a handshake, or a fond eye"
Small: There is no error so monstrous that it fails to find defenders among the ablest men
"There is no error so monstrous that it fails to find defenders among the ablest men"
Small: There are two things which cannot be attacked in front: ignorance and narrow-mindedness. They can only
"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"
Small: The science of politics is the one science that is deposited by the streams of history, like the grains
"The science of politics is the one science that is deposited by the streams of history, like the grains of gold in the sand of a river; and the knowledge of the past, the record of truths revealed by experience, is eminently practical, as an instrument of action and a power that goes to making the future"