Call for a New Magna Carta

This year we celebrate 800 years of the original Magna Carta; of the 63 articles contained in the original document, only 3 remain still enshrined in English Law. The barons forced the signing of the original document on King John (he of Robin Hood fame) as they had become utterly fed up with the unfair and autocratic manner in which he sought to raise money from them to fight pointless wars in France. In many instances, when payment could not be made, he forcefully took possession of all the defaulting baron’s possessions. 40 years after the signing of the revised and reduced document, in 1225, England’s Parliament came into being in 1265.

The spirit of the Magna Carta that gave birth to Parliament is barely alive today : token lip service is paid to the equal rights of all, and then only at election time when the populace is asked to vote between parties none of which has either the intention or the ability to deliver what is best for the peoples of this land. The equality enshrined in the Magna Carta has long ago been discarded in favour of corporations; business pressure groups; and political manoeuvres aimed solely a keeping any given political party in power, or in getting it there.

We should truly be drawing up a charter that demands that our elected representatives, and the civil servants they are responsible for, should at all times act in the interests of the people of this nation and its next 7 generations. If at any time enough of us feel that government is not adhering to the charter, a mechanism needs to be put in place which will give us the ability to prevent government from proceeding in the manner intended, or, during a transition period, in the manner accustomed.

This new charter between the citizens of the United Kingdom and its, from time to time elected, government would contain provisions including –

  • requiring commercial and industrial companies to minimize the use of natural resources in the manufacturing process and to maximize the useful of life of all their products;
  • not to involve commercial parties in determining safe levels of consumption and the use of ingredients, such as sugar and salt;
  • removing all and any preferences granted to commercial and transnational organisations, including removing the ability of directors of such organisations to avoid liability for their actions;
  • seriously developing a coherent policy on preventative healthcare and well-being, and encouraging the introduction of happiness promoting measures;
  • banning the practice of lobbying, to be replaced by acceptance of well presented and argued submissions for independent valuation by cross-disciplinary and specialist bodies of all claims made for medicines, food products, plastics, etc.;
  • running certain services as genuine public services, where commercial cost-benefit considerations do not apply;
  • encouraging the emergence of an educational system that prepares children to survive in today’s complex society; to know how to think; and gives them the confidence to dream of, and create, a better future;
  • developing new democratic processes in which issues are required to be spelt out clearly, and electronic means give the populace a chance to express its preferences on a continuing basis;
  • accelerating the introduction of genuine service in the financial sector; the reform of existing financial institutions within a social new framework; the introduction of genuine wealth sharing mechanisms, and shifting the burden of taxation to direct consumption;
  • etc.

Such a 21st century Magna Carta would however ultimately only be a bridging measure; in the longer term our party based political system needs to be replaced (see here for a workable idea). Only this way will we ever be able to participate meaningfully in the running and shaping of our nation along true democratic lines.

31 thoughts on “Call for a New Magna Carta

  1. Германия известна своей системой здравоохранения мирового класса, и неудивительно, что эта страна добилась больших успехов в лечении заболеваний. Благодаря передовым медицинским технологиям и высококвалифицированным врачам и медсестрам Германия стала лидером в лечении заболеваний.
    Правительство Германии обеспечивает гражданам доступ к высококачественным медицинским услугам. Сюда входят профилактические услуги, такие как регулярные осмотры и прививки, а также лечение хронических заболеваний, таких как диабет и рак. В стране также имеется широкая сеть больниц, оснащенных самым современным медицинским оборудованием и укомплектованных опытными специалистами, которые обеспечивают высококлассное обслуживание.
    Помимо традиционных методов лечения, Германия также находится на переднем крае исследований в области альтернативной медицины. Сюда входят акупунктура, траволечение, гомеопатия, натуропатия и другие целостные подходы к лечению. Эти методы часто используются в сочетании с традиционными методами лечения, чтобы предоставить пациентам комплексный уход, учитывающий их физические, психические и эмоциональные потребности. https://doc-muenchen.de/price/. О стремлении Германии обеспечить качественное медицинское обслуживание своих граждан свидетельствуют успехи, достигнутые ею в лечении различных заболеваний на протяжении многих лет. От передовых технологий до натуральных средств, немцы имеют доступ к широкому спектру вариантов лечения своих недугов и от этого они становятся еще здоровее!

  2. from lat. manus – “hand” and scribo – “I write”) ]

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