"In my opinion, most of the great men of the past were only there for the beer - the wealth, prestige and grandeur that went with the power"

A.J.P. Taylor's quote suggests that a lot of the excellent men of the past were inspired by the rewards that featured power, such as wealth, prestige, and splendour. He suggests that these guys were not necessarily driven by a desire to make a favorable impact on the world, however rather by the capacity for personal gain. This could be interpreted as a criticism of the inspirations of those in power, recommending that they are more thinking about their own advantage than in the higher good. Taylor's quote also suggests that the power and influence of these excellent men was not necessarily made, however rather was an outcome of their access to resources and chances. This could be viewed as a commentary on the unequal distribution of power and resources in society, and the potential for those with advantage to gain more than those without. Eventually, Taylor's quote recommends that the motivations of those in power must be questioned, which the power and impact of those in positions of authority need to not be taken for granted.