2015 marks the 800th Anniversary of The Great Charter, aka Magna Carta. The British public is becoming aware of how important it was to change society into a representative democracy governed by elected individuals. Here is an interesting article that provides 15 key facts about the document and how it helped change Anglosphere society forever.
Back in Canada, Professor John Robson and his wife, Brigitte Pellerin, are working hard to raise money to create a documentary which will put Magna Carta in a Canadian context. They were interviewed by Charles Adler earlier this week and made other media appearances as well.
A few years ago Robson met with a Libertarian group in an informal setting and talked about the significance of Magna Carta:
The three greatest documents ever written by man are the Magna Carta , the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. constitution.
One of the great moments of my life was going the US archives building in Washington to the room where they keep the original version of the latter two. To my surprise as you enter the too where they are, they have one of two (?) originals of the Magna carta.
Got to spend about an hour chatting with PHD level custodians of the documents. Absolutely awesome experience that gives me chills as I type this.
If you are passionate about man and the pursuit, you need to go there.
Primarily the Magna Carta was about restricting arbitrary power of the state, individual rights, and due process. It melded the old Anglo Saxon/common law tradition with a black-list law, which prevented the State from precociously restricting individual rights to benefit the king, or his pals.
How's it working out today?
Time to scrap it. It makes it too hard to convict people of alleged racist crimes and rape.
Same here Gord, with the exception of discussing them with anyone. A truly moving experience. As a result, I have copies of all three framed and hanging in my den.
Whenever I find my mind going in the wrong direction politically,I just turn around and read them again. ( exception-Magna Carta, I can't read Latin.)
Should Christine Elliott become the Leader of Ontario's Conservative party, I strongly suspect that the her leadership would transform with great effort, the Party into a really true Conservative FREEDOM PARTY!
"The three greatest documents ever written by man are the Magna Carta , the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. constitution."
How dare you forget Canuckistan's Charter of Rights for Criminals and Immigrants. And just as a nitpick, it is not "the" Magna Carta, it is simply Magna Carta, no "the" needed.
Why no "the"? Why only remove it from Magna Carta?
Should "The three greatest documents ever written by man are the Magna Carta , the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. constitution"
change to: "The three greatest documents ever written by man are are Magna Carta , Declaration of Independence and U.S. constitution.
Just curious about your reasoning.
Agreed but don't forget Monte McNaughton. He's young and still a bit wet behind the ears but you'll like the cut of his jib, nonetheless.
This from a fellow Woodstonian.
The Magna Carta is dead in the water, has been for a long, long time.
I recall reading about the military convoy that hauled the Library of Congress material to Fort Knox.....very hush hush and extremely well guarded.
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/magna-carta-muse-and-mentor/magna-carta-comes-to-america.html
Not a surprise, Gord. It's a little known fact that in US law, where precedent in US jurisprudence completely fails or is silent, British common law precedent is used. Canada has similar fallbacks.
Mike, Magna Carta died a generation after it was written along with Simon de Montfort and the rest of his barons at the hands of King Edward I at Evesham. Monarchical power would continue to grow in England through the next several centuries to abominations like the Star Chamber of Henry VII. Authoritarianism of the monarchy would not begin to decline until Oliver Cromwell and the Long Parliament put a summary and necessary end to Charles I.
The US Declaration of Independence may be a document worthy of being included in a list of famous documents but the Declaration of Arbroath should be placed in second place behind the Magna Carta.
To honor the memory and contribution of the Magna Carta, Impeach Obama Now!
Pass it on!
The greatest statement of the rejection of arbitrary power-despotism - won with the blood of passionate commoners who valued freedom above their life - let's see who celebrates and who purposely ignores or denigrates the celebration of civil liberty - the usual suspects must crawl out from under their rocks to do so.
Well no. Magna Carta in 1215 had nothing to do with commoners. It was the barons holding King John up at swordpoint demanding an end to his arbitrary ways. Tammany Hall in chainmail if you will. Extending its principles universally came much later.
It was inroads.
Quod Anglicana ecclesia libra sit. - "The English Church shall be free" -Of course this was pre-schism -ergo- the Holy Roman Catholic Church. Henry VIII defied the Charter!
Jeez....I hate it when everybody beats me to their Wikidickipedias...
The Declarations of Magna Trudeau are quite memorable too.
I thought this article was about the latest Jay-z album. Arrrg.
Thank you Steven Cardinal Langton.