Lord Acton is expressing the idea that having power or authority has a tendency to corrupt individuals, and when someone has absolute power, it corrupts them absolutely. He argues that even great men, when they exercise influence without necessarily holding official authority, are often inclined towards bad actions. Acton suggests that the more power one has, the greater the likelihood of corruption, and absolute power intensifies this corruption. He points out that historical figures, such as Popes and Kings, should not be exempt from judgment, and there is a danger in presuming that those in power did no wrong. Acton emphasizes the importance of holding individuals accountable for their actions, regardless of their status, and argues for the integrity of a moral code in assessing historical figures. rephrase and shorten like a 9th grader
Lord Acton believes that when people have power, they often become corrupted. This corruption is even worse when someone has complete power. Acton also thinks that even important people can do bad things when they have influence, even if they don't have an official position. He says that the more power someone has, the more likely they are to be corrupt, and having absolute power makes this corruption worse. Acton thinks it's not fair to exempt historical figures like Popes and Kings from judgment, and we should not assume they did nothing wrong just because they were in power. He believes it's important to hold everyone accountable for their actions, no matter who they are, and to use ethical standards when judging historical figures.
