Friday, November 14, 2008
What does the Magna Carta Mean to Us?
We did some of this in class, but I'd like you to make this a little more personal. What values do you see expressed by the Magna Carta (either version) that suggest Divided Loyalty? Which of those values do you personally find the most important in living in a democracy?
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7 comments:
The rights expressed in the Magna Carta that I find most important are those that establish common law. The establishment of common law in the Magna Carta have a played a huge role in our current day government. The ability of our Judges to act on precedent, allows for a the fairness in the courts rulings to be backed and reinforced by history. Which is an important part of having a democracy
The values I find most important in a democracy, demonstrated in the Magna Carta would be fairness and justice. These people did not want to be randomly and harshly taxed, unrightfully imprisoned, or told what church to attend. The value that expresses divided loyalty is justice. Although the citizens wanted justice and just punishment for crimes, they also did not want too much power in the hands of the government. Like today, we want the government to have enough power to keep us safe, but only poseess so much power.
The Magna Carta itself, taken as a whole, is a representation of divided loyalty, as the whole point of the document was landowners expressing their division of loyalty between the king and themselves. Their expressed rights, which went against the system established by the king, is a poignant and lasting representation of divided loyalty that could be applied to most any era.
The value that I see being the most important living in a democracy is justice and common law. This was what represents the Divided Loyalty of that time. People were so used to being ruled and walked on and when the Magna Carta was written they all the sudden had rights and individuality thus dviding loyalty.
I believe the Magna Carta is what was the basis for our constitution. the people were sick of the king being above everyone and leaving no rights or priveledges for anyone else. I believe that we just took it a step further by extending these rights to common people and not just the nobles. I am not syaing our system was perfect because plent of people were left without representation, but I believe both documents are striving towards a more perfect state.
I agree with Joey, the Magna Carta was the basis for the Constitution. The Constitution extended more rights to the common people not just the nobles. I am guessing that we are going to get closer and closer to equal representation of all peoples as time goes on. It is really cool to think were America will be in 100 years.
One of the values expressed in the Magna Carta that I believe is reflected in our Constitution is Justice which is expressed in the Bill of Rights. At the same time the Magna Carta gives great power to rulers, and powerful people. The constituion gives power/rights to all the people; however, there are instances in which powerful people seem to have more control.
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