Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. The late 19th century English writer Lord Acton is best known for his remark that: “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.” (see “Letter to Archbishop Mandell Creighton, April 5, 1887”) Throughout history, nowhere is Lord Acton’s principle more evident than in dictatorships, which is a system of government where one despotic leader rules a nation, typically using violence and other extreme measures to maintain order. Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler, Fascist Italy under Benito Mussolini, and the Mongol Empire under Emperor Genghis Khan are all examples of dictatorships. Think about historical examples where individuals use any means necessary to take power. Do you think Lord Acton’s aphorism is still valid in modern times? Is it, perhaps, even more true?

Teaching Suggestion: This question will get students thinking about the themes of Power Struggle and Authoritarianism. If time allows, students might broaden their understanding of authoritarianism through online investigation and discussion of the various forms of government, thereby helping students understand the difference between a dictatorship and a democratic society.