[thechat] Why strong leadership sucks

[Martin]

Emily Christensen wrote on 11/10/01 6:02 pm

>> However, it did establish the absolute
>> principle that everyone, even the king, is subject to the laws and customs
>> of the land.
>
>Still, Edward Coke was forced to recant his statement that the King wasn't
>above the law.

Yup. If you set democracy in motion, it's damned hard to put it back
in the box.

Edward Plantagenet's other argument was whether kings answered
to popes or the other way round (or to put it another way: was
canon law subject to civil law, or the other way round).

Chief casualty: Thomas a Becket.

>Hey, we study British history in the U.S., too. (grin)

Oh yes.

England's history is a fascinating study of progress from
despotism towards democracy (we're not there yet...)
without the kind of general revolution which France &
Russia had.

Although we did have a civil war over whether the King
or Parliament was supreme.

Cheers
Martin

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