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Common law remains among the fundamental foundations of classical liberalism today. It was not established on a royal basis, but was determined by the people themselves. This law respected private property and contracts. He recognized freedom under the law. No one had to ask permission before acting on anything, since anything that was not forbidden in particular was considered legal. The law applied to everyone, and the lawmen themselves were held accountable. And even the Kings were chosen by a council of elders (witans, or wise men), who were asking the Kings to show their loyalty, and not vice versa. Conquest and rebirth
This situation came to an abrupt end in 1066 with the Norman invasion and military occupation. England became ruled by a European elite with an authoritarian language and methods separate from the English people and imposed feudalism and serfdom, social stratification and legal legislation from top to bottom – the complete opposite of the freedoms and limited government that the Anglo-Saxons had.
But within a few generations, the Normans gradually identified with the local population. At the same time, King John (1166-1216), who was in seclusion, became
Early ancestors
3. Classical liberalism: the family tree
The ideas of some classical liberals have their origins in the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, who advocated precaution when using power. Twenty centuries ago, the Indian emperor Ashoka called for political freedom and tolerance. Islam has embraced economic freedom since its first inception in the sixth century.
But these are distant cousins of neoclassical liberalism. According to the classical liberal thinker and politician Daniel Hannan (1971), classical liberalism began with the Anglo-Saxons who began to settle what we now call England around the year 400 Anglo-Saxon England enjoyed a higher degree of stability compared to continental Europe for being an island state that is difficult to conquer, and in which a secure system of property tenure and Justice arose. And this was not achieved at someone's desire - it was the gradual result of Anglo-Saxons possessing independent thought and standing like bulls in their gullies defending their rights against intruders. Later, the need for cohabitation with the Vikings, who settled England, led to
The year 800 led to the emergence of a common language and general legal arrangements unintentionally as well.
The rise of classical liberalism cultural and religious revolutions
"Freedom arises from the conflict between the authorities," wrote the English historian Lord Acton (1843-1902). In continental Europe, the power of the Roman Empire in the West and the subsequent power of the feudal lords was challenged by the rise of the Christian Church. These authorities did not consciously develop free institutions, but the mutual restrictions they imposed on each other paved the way for greater personal freedom.
Two other historical events in Europe have confirmed the importance of individual freedom as opposed to state power. One of the main components of the Cultural Revolution represented by the Renaissance movement, which lasted from about the fifteenth to the seventeenth century, was the appearance of the printing press in Europe in 1450. This simple invention broke the monopoly of the elite on science and learning, making knowledge available to ordinary people. No one had to consult the authorities anymore and ask for guidance and permission from them, they had the information on which their choices could be based.
The Protestant Revolution, sparked by Martin Luther in 1517, reinforced this idea even more. It challenged the authority of the Catholic Church and raised the self-esteem of ordinary people by asserting that they could have direct, personal and equal contact with God, without the need for the mediation of elite priests.
His French entourage became increasingly authoritarian and reclusive, and he began to arbitrarily manipulate the laws in order to collect as much taxes as possible.
The result of this was that, in 1215, the barons forced the king to sign
The great document Magna Carta on rights and privileges most of the content of the document concerns the assertion of the antiquated property rights of people, protecting them from indiscriminate predation by the senior class of officials – the same kind of secure tenure rights that classical liberals today consider important
Vitality.
But a key part of the document crystallized the ancient rights-the rights of the church, the rights of cities, the rights of the people in general - and the principles of classical liberalism such as trial by jury and due process of law and even emphasized that the king, like any other individual, would be bound by the law of the country. In other words, the government will be subject to the rule of law.
Although John repudiated the charter, he died soon after. His son Henry III sat on the throne as a minor, and the power in secret from the monarchy turned into an association of Barons. Henry reissued the Charter of his own free will in 1225. But other clashes with the Barons, mostly related to taxes imposed for waging wars
It led to another classic liberal initiative in England - the creation of Parliament.
Curb the power of Kings
Following the end of the English Civil War (1642-51), the reigning King, Charles I, was put on trial and executed for high treason - a stark confirmation of the limitations on the power of the government.
But the power relationship between the king and parliament has already been overturned. The island state of Great Britain (as it was then) did not need a standing army to protect it from repeated invasions. Therefore, unlike continental Europe, the King had no power that he could use to oppress and exploit the people. Hence Charles needed the approval of Parliament to increase taxes to wage foreign wars.
This frustrated a jealous king and led to numerous disputes. Among his other decisions were the suspension of the work of the parliament, the attempt to impose taxes without its consent and the forcible arrest of five of its most prominent members. In doing so, he violated the implicit contract with the people guaranteeing their rights. The Glorious Revolution
After a period (1649-60) under the dictatorship of Oliver Cromwell, the balance of power was again manifested when Charles's son, Charles II, was forced to appease parliament in order to return as King. When his successor, Charles II's son, James II, was deposed, Parliament invited William (Prince of orange) of the Netherlands and Mary to sit on the throne. The direction of power, from the people to the King, was the clearest.
All this led to the elevation of the status and importance of the individual against the existing institutions of power. In the country where that great freedom flourished to the greatest extent, the arts, industry, science and Commerce also flourished
Political revolution
Politics also took a different turn. The mass pro-freedom movement of the Levellers swept England in the Fifties of the XVII century. It was led by John Lilburne (1614-57), who insisted that people's rights were innate, not a gift given to them by the government or the law. He appeared before the notorious Court of the King's chamber, having been arrested for printing unauthorized books (thereby challenging the government monopoly), but he refused to bow before the judges insisting that they were his equals) or that
Accepts their actions. Even when they put him on the celebrity, he continued to call for freedom and equal rights, and ended up in prison for defying authority - something that would later be repeated a few more times.
Lilburn became a well-known anti-establishment figure. Richard Overton (1610-63) continued the Lilburne March, was also put in prison for refusing to recognize the judicial power of the House of Lords, and Overton called for "a constitutional social contract between freemen who were considered to have a right to own property
By themselves, and no one else can take away this right from them.