"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"

This quote by Lord Acton is a cautioning about the risks of having excessive power concentrated in the hands of a few individuals. He is suggesting that when this occurs, people with a criminal state of mind can take control. This is a cautioning about the potential for corruption and abuse of power. Lord Acton is making use of history to highlight his point, recommending that this has actually occurred in the past and will likely occur once again in the future. He is cautioning us to be knowledgeable about the potential for this to happen and to take actions to prevent it. This quote works as a pointer that power need to be dispersed relatively and not focused in the hands of a few individuals. It is a pointer that we must be vigilant in securing our democracy and guaranteeing that power is not abused.