--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I cannot accept your canon that we are to…" description: "\"I cannot accept your canon that we are to judge Pope and King unlike other men, with a favorable presumption that they do no wrong. If there is any pre..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bb/lord-acton-3040_absolute-power_i-cannot-accept-your-canon-that-we-are-t_2641384.jpg" --- # I cannot accept your canon that we are to judge Pope and… ![“I cannot accept your canon that we are to judge Pope and King unlike other men, with a favorable presumption that they do no wrong. If there is any presumption, it is the other way against holders of power...power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” quote by Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bb/lord-acton-3040_absolute-power_i-cannot-accept-your-canon-that-we-are-t_2641384.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bb/lord-acton-3040_absolute-power_i-cannot-accept-your-canon-that-we-are-t_2641384.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bb/lord-acton-3040_absolute-power_i-cannot-accept-your-canon-that-we-are-t_2641384.jpg) > “I cannot accept your canon that we are to judge Pope and King unlike other men, with a favorable presumption that they do no wrong. If there is any presumption, it is the other way against holders of power...power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power should be viewed with suspicion; authority is rarely without fault. **In simple terms:** Authority is often flawed. Key Takeaway Question power, assume fallibility. Themes authority skepticism politics Mood critical reflective Type political philosophical When to use this quote - government oversight - journalism - activism - legal reform Key Concepts corruption absolutism presumption Questions to Reflect On - How do you evaluate leaders fairly? - What checks prevent abuse? A Different Perspective Power can be exercised responsibly; not all leaders are corrupt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absolute power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolute-power/) [Absolute power corrupts absolutely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely/) [Absolutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutes/) [Canon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/canon/) [Corrupt power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corrupt-power/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pope/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Power corrupts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-corrupts/) [Power Corrupts Absolutely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-corrupts-absolutely/) [Power Tends To Corrupt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-tends-to-corrupt/) [Presumption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presumption/) ## Related quotes > [Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/power-tends-to-corrupt-and-absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely-great-2/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [Power tends to corrupt. But the power in Washington resides in Congress, if it wants to use it. It can do anything - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/power-tends-to-corrupt-but-the-power-in-washington-resides-in/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end...liberty is the only object which benefits all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/liberty-is-not-a-means-to-a-higher-political-end-it-is-itself-the-3/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [“if ever a pope should command me to play on the flute, build towers, to mend or weave garments, and to stuff sausages, ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-hus/if-ever-a-pope-should-command-me-to-play-on-the-flute-build-towers-to/) [Jan Hus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-hus/) > [There is no evidence to support the belief that Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev ever questioned Americas power. He questioned only the President's John F.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/there-is-no-evidence-to-support-the-belief-that-soviet-premier-nikita/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [Every cleric must obey the Pope, even if he commands what is evil; for no one may judge the Pope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-innocent-iii/every-cleric-must-obey-the-pope-even-if-he-commands-what-is-evil-for/) [Pope Innocent III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-innocent-iii/) > [Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/great-men-are-almost-always-bad-men-even-when-they-exercise-influence/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [There is no worse heresy than that the office sanctifies the holder of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/there-is-no-worse-heresy-than-that-the-office-sanctifies-the-holder/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [We have all been told that power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. I have long thought this is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-weinstein/we-have-all-been-told-that-power-tends-to-corrupt-and-absolute-power/) [Bret Weinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-weinstein/) > [“But… all I said was that I was scared." After what you got to experience? That's smart, kid," I said. "I'm scared, too. Every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/but-all-i-said-was-that-i-was-scared-after-what-you-got-to-experience/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [Power tends to corrupt - so we should, in both the public and the private spheres, be on guard against, and erect sturdy guardrails…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kristol/power-tends-to-corrupt-so-we-should-in-both-the-public-and-the/) [Bill Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kristol/) > [As a young man, you're dazzled by the power of the White House and all that. But power tends to corrupt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/as-a-young-man-you-re-dazzled-by-the-power-of-the-white-house-and-all/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [“Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Thus”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-boaz/power-tends-to-corrupt-and-absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely-thus/) [David Boaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-boaz/) > [“Knowledge is power but too much power tends to corrupt the minds of those who possess it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidy-sidique/knowledge-is-power-but-too-much-power-tends-to-corrupt-the-minds-of/) Sidy Sidique > [“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-emerich-edward-dalberg-acton/power-tends-to-corrupt-and-absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely-great/) [John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-emerich-edward-dalberg-acton/) ## More by Lord Acton > [The history of institutions is often a history of deception and illusions; for their virtue depends on the ideas that produce and on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/the-history-of-institutions-is-often-a-history-of-deception-and/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [A liberal is only a bundle of prejudices until he has mastered, has understood, experienced the philosophy of Conservatism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/a-liberal-is-only-a-bundle-of-prejudices-until-he-has-mastered-has/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [Every class is unfit to govern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/every-class-is-unfit-to-govern/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [Fanaticism displays itself in the masses; but the masses were rarely fanaticised; and the crimes ascribed to it were commonly due to the calculations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/fanaticism-displays-itself-in-the-masses-but-the-masses-were-rarely/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [In England Parliament is above the law. In America the law is above Congress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/in-england-parliament-is-above-the-law-in-america-the-law-is-above/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [There is not a more perilous or immoral habit of mind than the sanctifying of success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/there-is-not-a-more-perilous-or-immoral-habit-of-mind-than-the/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [Towns were the nursery of freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/towns-were-the-nursery-of-freedom/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [It was from America that the plain ideas that men ought to mind their business, and that the nation is responsible to Heaven for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/it-was-from-america-that-the-plain-ideas-that-men-ought-to-mind-their/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [Character is tested by true sentiments more than by conduct. A man is seldom better than his word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/character-is-tested-by-true-sentiments-more-than-by-conduct-a-man-is/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [Liberty and good government do not exclude each other; and there are excellent reasons why they should go together. Liberty is not a means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/liberty-and-good-government-do-not-exclude-each-other-and-there-are/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [The test of liberty is the position and security of minorities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/the-test-of-liberty-is-the-position-and-security-of-minorities/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [The common vice of democracy is disregard for morality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/the-common-vice-of-democracy-is-disregard-for-morality/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [Feudalism made land the measure and the master of all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/feudalism-made-land-the-measure-and-the-master-of-all-things/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [“power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutley”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/power-corrupts-absolute-power-corrupts-absolutley/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [There are many things the government cant do, many good purposes it must renounce. It must leave them to the enterprise of others. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/there-are-many-things-the-government-cant-do-many-good-purposes-it/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) [Explore all 141 Lord Acton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) ## More Absolute power quotes > [“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-emerich-edward-dalberg-acton/power-tends-to-corrupt-and-absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely-great/) [John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-emerich-edward-dalberg-acton/) > [Anarchy is the stepping stone to absolute power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/anarchy-is-the-stepping-stone-to-absolute-power/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [“As Israel made the wants of his national existence the law of the world, as under the dominance of these wants he deified even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-feuerbach/as-israel-made-the-wants-of-his-national-existence-the-law-of-the/) [Ludwig Feuerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-feuerbach/) > [Sometimes we like to think if we had power, that we would be different, and we would be omnipotent, but the truth is absolute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ackie/sometimes-we-like-to-think-if-we-had-power-that-we-would-be-different/) [Naomi Ackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ackie/) > [Absolute power, as we have always known, corrupts absolutely; it corrupts because it does not do the trick for the individual. Reality always creeps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/absolute-power-as-we-have-always-known-corrupts-absolutely-it/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [A nation of slaves is always prepared to applaud the clemency of their master who, in the abuse of absolute power, does not proceed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/a-nation-of-slaves-is-always-prepared-to-applaud-the-clemency-of/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-pitt-1st-earl-of-chatham/unlimited-power-is-apt-to-corrupt-the-minds-of-those-who-possess-it/) [William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-pitt-1st-earl-of-chatham/) > [The Book of Job is advice on how to live in terms of the absolute power of nature. Leviathan is advice on how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-phillip-verene/the-book-of-job-is-advice-on-how-to-live-in-terms-of-the-absolute/) [Donald Phillip Verene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-phillip-verene/) > [God cannot approve of a system of servitude, in which the master is guilty of assuming absolute power - of assuming God's place and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerrit-smith/god-cannot-approve-of-a-system-of-servitude-in-which-the-master-is/) [Gerrit Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerrit-smith/) > [“With absolute power, corruption and evil seep in humanity, and that evil continues to flourish as the good of humankind lies idle in darkness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/with-absolute-power-corruption-and-evil-seep-in-humanity-and-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you are an eighteen or nineteen-year-old with little education, as is often the case, and you're put in charge of many, many people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/if-you-are-an-eighteen-or-nineteen-year-old-with-little-education-as/) [Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/) > [“As history has also shown, especially in the twentieth century, one of the first things an ideologue will do after achieving absolute power is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/as-history-has-also-shown-especially-in-the-twentieth-century-one-of/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [We're taught Lord Acton's axiom: all power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. I believed that when I started these books, but I don't believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/we-re-taught-lord-acton-s-axiom-all-power-corrupts-absolute-power/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Absolute power can only be supported by error, ignorance and prejudice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/absolute-power-can-only-be-supported-by-error-ignorance-and-prejudice/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Has justice ever grown in the soil of absolute power? Has not justice always come from the ... heart and spirit of men who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/has-justice-ever-grown-in-the-soil-of-absolute-power-has-not-justice/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) [Browse all 180 Absolute power quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolute-power/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I cannot accept your canon that we are to judge Pope and King unlike other men, with a favorable presumption that they do no wrong. 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