
By Mr. Roland Hill, Roland Hill
ISBN-10: 0300079567
ISBN-13: 9780300079562
"Power has a tendency to deprave, and absolute strength corrupts absolutely." Lord Acton, 1887 Lord Acton (1834-1902), numbered one of the such a lot esteemed Victorian historic thinkers, was once a lot revered for his massive studying, his principles on politics and faith, and his lifelong preoccupation with human freedom. but Acton used to be in lots of methods an intruder. He stood except his contemporaries, doubting the proposal of limitless development and the advantages of nationalism and democracy. He differed from fellow participants of the English top category, retaining to his Catholic religion; and he angered different Catholic believers by means of fiercely opposing the doctrine of papal infallibility. during this impressive biography, Roland Hill is the 1st to make complete use of the big number of books, records and personal papers within the Acton information to inform the tale of the enigmatic Lord. The e-book describes Acton's of eu aristocrats, his cosmopolitan upbringing, and his disrupted schooling. Drawing a full of life photograph of politics and faith on the time, Hill discusses Acton's short profession as a Liberal member of Parliament, his paintings as editor and proprietor of discovered Catholic journals, his battles for freedom for and within the Catholic Church, his friendship with William E. Gladstone, and his seven years as Regius Professor of contemporary historical past at Cambridge collage. even though not able to accomplish The Cambridge smooth historical past sequence he envisaged, Acton remodeled historic research and left a legacy of principles that keeps to persuade historians this present day.