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