Lord Acton Quote 

"Liberty is the prevention of control by others.
This requires self-control and, therefore,
religious and spiritual influences;
education, knowledge, well-being."

by:
Lord Acton
[John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton] (1834-1902), First Baron Acton of Aldenham
Date:
1887
Source:
Lord Acton, Selected Writings of Lord Acton: Essays in Religion, Politics, and Morality, ed. J. Rufus Fears, 3 vols. (Indianapolis: Liberty Classics, 1988), 3:490
Categories:
 
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Reader comments about this quote:
... not sure how religious & spiritual influences make it into a definition of liberty, and thus its a loser... just reads like blither as it is...
 -- Anonymous, reston, VA		 
It makes a great deal of sense..
 -- David L. Rosenthal		 
Inspiring! As most of your Liberty Quotes are.
 -- Me Again		 
I agree with Reston, but the rest is OK - I don’t think Lord Acton meant it in the way it comes across. Liberty is a fundamental prerequisite to all people and can only be truly achieved by giving it to others. Tolerance and an understanding of our differences are essential if we too are to enjoy Liberty. If we are to continue to enjoy Liberty we must start to promote peace and make it our "Manhattan Project". Without peace in the world we really don't have liberty - let's be a new and exciting force in the world and change our way we battle over our differences. We must continue to talk, talk, and talk until we are blue in the face before we revert to arms. Religion, if we are not careful, will be the end of Liberty as we know it today. Let's go out into the world and build schools and universities, hospitals, roads, instead of making tanks and bombs - let's give it a chance, because the history of going to war over our differences obviously doesn't work - sorry, I'm on my soap-box this morning.
 -- Robert, Sarasota		 
Having never experienced spiritual influences or knowledge (being "tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive") explains the lack of a full 'Liberty' education. Liberty is a positive; so stated, I believe instead of Liberty being a "prevention of control by others", it is more accurately the freedom to act lawfully in all endevors. This requires self-control and, therefore, religious and spiritual influences; education, knowledge, well-being.
 -- Mike, Norwalk		 
I would define "...religious and spiritual influences..." as principles and morals, which are required to maintain Liberty.
 -- Joe, Rochester, MI		 
One must also consider the times and context in which the words are spoken. Acton carefully defends self-control with 'spirituality' and knowledge as supports. Let it not be construed to mean influence from the State or Church -- which is no longer self-control.
 -- E Archer, NYC		 
Absence of religious influences would result in the absence of morality bringing with it the necessity of a totalitarian form of government. Freedom can only survive in a moral society. Morals do not exist separate from religious influences.
 -- warren, olathe		 
i totally agree
 -- utjtrht		 
 -- Anonymous 
 -- Paul T., Bourne 
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