Aphorisms of Lord Acton, the great 19th-century historian (see here):
1 “Liberty is not the power of doing what we like, but the right of being able to do what we ought.”
2 “Liberty is the harmony between the will and the law.”
3 “Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end. It is not for the sake of a good public administration that it is required, but for the security in the pursuit of the highest objects of civil society, and of private life.”
4 “Liberty, next to religion has been the motive of good deeds and the common pretext of crime. In every age its progress has been beset by its natural enemies, by ignorance and superstition, by lust of conquest and by love of ease, by the strong man’s craving for power, and the poor man’s craving for food.”

1 “La libertà non è il potere di fare ciò che ci piace, ma il diritto di poter fare ciò che si deve.”
2 “La libertà è l’armonia tra la volontà e la legge.”
3 “La libertà non è un mezzo per un fine politico più elevato. È essa stessa il più alto fine politico. Non è per il bene di una buona amministrazione pubblica che è richiesta, ma per la sicurezza nel perseguimento dei più alti obiettivi della società civile e della vita privata.”
4 “La libertà, accanto alla religione, è stata il motivo delle buone azioni e l’abituale pretesto del crimine … In ogni epoca il suo progresso è stato afflitto dai suoi nemici naturali: ignoranza e superstizione, smania di conquista e amore per il benessere, brama di potere dell’uomo forte e di cibo di quello povero.”
Il secondo aforisma è il mio preferito. Il tuo qual è?
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Anche a me è quello che piace di più… e il quarto è quello su cui meditare!
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Soprattutto il punto in cui si dice che è l’abituale pretesto del crimine: infatti moltissime persone dicono di aver infranto la legge non perché hanno scelto consapevolmente la via sporca, ma perché sono delle brave persone ingiustamente oppresse da una legislazione soffocante e troppo severa. Grazie per la risposta, e buon fine settimana! 🙂
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Grazie a te…e buon weekend 🙏🤗🙏🤗🙏
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Liberty is the harmony between the will and the law. Oh yes! well said 😉🙏💖💖🙏
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I love that aphorism, too!
Have a nice afternoon, Aladin 🙏😘🌹😘🙏
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Anche tu 🤗💖🌹
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Number 1 is a foreign concept by this day and age.
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Unfortunately, I have to say that I fully agree with your opinion
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Bellissimi questi aforismi sulla libertà, 👍.
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Grazie, Eleonora. Sono contenta di sapere che ti sono piaciuti.
Buon pomeriggio 😘🌹😘
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Buon pomeriggio anche a te, 😘🤗.
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🙏🌹🌿🙏
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Interessanti aforismi, buon fine settimana Luisa 🍃🍃🍃😘
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Grazie, Dani🙏😘
Buon fine settimana a te!🍂🍁🌿
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I agree. Well said
There is no liberty without equality
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Thank you very much for your wise words 🙏💜🙏
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molto interessanti! questa frase “La libertà, accanto alla religione, è stata il motivo delle buone azioni e l’abituale pretesto del crimine ” credo dovrebbe far riflettere molto molto! grazie Luisa come sempre!
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Sì, sono parole su cui soffermarsi…
Buon pomeriggio, cara Matilde (le sculture il legno del tuo post mi sono piaciute davvero tanto) 😘
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Excellent quotes!
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So glad you liked them!
Thank you for your comment
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The first one is my favorite quote. Love it. I read it over several times!
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I’m really glad you liked that quote.
I thank you for the comment and I wish you a happy weekend, dear Priscilla
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I love these quotes. 4 “Liberty, next to religion has been the motive of good deeds and the common pretext of crime. In every age its progress has been beset by its natural enemies, by ignorance and superstition, by lust of conquest and by love of ease, by the strong man’s craving for power, and the poor man’s craving for food.” I view our 45th president as a weak man rather than a strong man–he has the craving for power and the bully’s penchant for belittling, which gives him the illusion of strength.
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What a beautiful analysis of Trump, dear Pat. Thank you for sharing it: a way to update Acton’s quote
Have a nice weekend!!!
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I’m thrilled that you like the analysis. Have a lovely, peaceful weekend.
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😘❤😘❤😘
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LUISA, Hello Thank you for another interesting post . I also reread all of them , I’m favoring #1 & # 4 because of my empathy and thoughts in childhood. My good friend Helen believes I’m wrong but I say there is no right or wrong in this !!! Have a lovely weekend my friend 📚🏡🎨☀️
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Thank you for your lovely message, dear Sharon!
I wish you a nice weekend, too 😘🤗💙❤🌹
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With all these concepts, it can be concluded, in my modest understanding, that freedom is the faculty or ability of the human being to act according to their values, criteria, reason and will, with no limitations other than respect for the freedom of others.
What a good post Luisa.
Happy weekend
Manuel Angel
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Thanks for the valuable summary of all those quotes, which we should seriously reflect on.
You’ve been a great help, dear Manuel Angel.
Wishing you a lovely weekend🌹🌹🌹
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I hope the same for you Luisa.
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🙏😘🙏😘🙏
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Che verità Lu!
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🙏🙏🙏
Buona serata, Paola cara 😘😘😘
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Molto belle… fanno riflettere! La libertà è un argomento molto discusso, dovremmo essere liberi di pensare ed essere ciò che vogliamo ^_^
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… fermandoci dove capiamo che stiamo ledendo la libertà altrui
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assolutamente sì… la libertà è un bene prezioso, ma la mia non deve sovrastare quella altrui e viceversa
😘
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🙏😊🙏😊🙏😊🙏
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Reblogged this on Il mio viaggio.
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Grazie! 🙏🌹🙏🌹🙏
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Notte serena
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🌺🙏🌺
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Lord Action on Liberty I think my own opinion is to seek God and his kingdom l. Deuteronomy 5:18 knowing God simply means you haven’t the ability to every impossible solution
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Wise words!
Thank you for sharing them here
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You’re welcome
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🙏🌹🙏🌹🙏
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Give me liberty or death!
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I agree; if there is no liberty, there is no life!
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