A Lecture on the Study of History

John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton, KCVO DL (10January 1834 – 19 June 1902)—known as Sir John Dalberg-Acton, 8th Baronetfrom 1837 to 1869 and usually referred to simply as Lord Acton—was an EnglishCatholic historian, politician, and writer. He was the only son of SirFerdinand Dalberg-Acton, 7th Baronet and a grandson of the Neapolitan admiralSir John Acton, 6th Baronet. He is perhaps best known for the remark,"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Greatmen are almost always bad men." This idea Jhas been tested in laboratorysettings.