Chris Edwards
Chris Edwards
Those acquainted with English history know that in 1215 AD, land-owning barons pressed King John to approve the Magna Carta, which limited his power and helped secure individual liberties. John “was a very poor king” who “levied frequent taxes,” according one history on my bookshelf.
However, an article in BBC History magazine informs me that “Magna Carta” historically referred to a revised 1225 version of the charter. It is this later version that influenced government and law in England for centuries. So, happy 800th birthday, Magna Carta.
The battles to rein in kings and limit government power went on for centuries. The Magna Carta formed the basis of subsequent statutes and played a key role in educating each generation about their liberties. But even before the early 1200s, the Magna Carta had precursors, including a “Charter of Liberties” issued by King Henry I in 1100 AD.
America’s limited-government Founding could not have happened without the centuries of struggle and progress made by the English. Our National Archives holds a 1297 version of the Magna Carta, courtesy of David Rubenstein. The Archives Foundation notes, “Magna Carta also guaranteed due process of law, freedom from arbitrary imprisonment, trial by a jury of peers, and other fundamental rights that inspired and informed the Founding Fathers of our nation when they wrote the Declaration of Independence, United States Constitution, and Bill of Rights.”
Some people worry that our current president is acting like an unhinged king, such as the chaotic way he is unilaterally imposing hefty trade barriers. Interestingly, the Magna Carta tried to guard against this precise abuse: “All merchants are to be safe and secure in departing from and coming to England, and in their residing and movements in England, by both land and water, for buying and selling, without any evil exactions but only paying the ancient and rightful customs.” (Clause 41 of the 1215 charter). » Read More
https://www.cato.org/blog/magna-carta-800-0