Wetakeourlibertiesforgranted.Theyseemabsoluteanduntouchable.Buttheyaretheresultofaseriesofviolentstrugglesfoughtover800yearsthat,attimes,havethreatenedtotearoursocietyapart.Onthefrontlinewasadocumentoriginallyinkedonanimalskin–MagnaCarta.DistinguishedconstitutionalhistorianDavidStarkeylooksattheoriginsoftheGreatCharterin1215tochecktheabusesofKingJohn-andhowitnearlydiedatbirth.Heexploresitssubsequentdeployment,itscontributiontomakingeveryone–eventhemonarch–subjecttotheruleoflaw,andhowthisquintessentiallyEnglishdocumentmigratedtotheNorthAmericancoloniesandeventuallybecamethefoundationoftheUSconstitution.MagnaCartahasbecomeauniversalsymbolofindividualfreedomagainstthetyrannyofthestate,butwithever-tighteninggovernmentcontrolonourlives,isittimetoresurrectit?
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