I must second Mr. O'Neill's comment: "Thank you David for one of the most thoughtful and significant contributions I have read on OLO." I particulary liked the way Prof. Clark pointed out the pedagogical deficiencies in Australia's eduction systems. Surveys several years ago found that only about half of all Australians knew the country had a written constitution (compared to almost all Americans). Australians, school children especially, need to develop a greater knowledge about "where their major institutions came from, [and] how they emerged."

My only complaint is that the link embedded in "A version of this article with footnotes is available by clicking here" at the bottom of the article doesn't seem to work.

Most enlightening article, thank you muchly for same.

Apart from the technical failure of the textbook authorities, the main achievement of Magna Carta was to wrest some of the despotic power away from the whims of the crown and historically John was a particularly bad occupier of the throne.

Lastly, despite how you have dressed it up, our eventual parliamentary system is not democracy (i.e. for the people, by the people doesn't equal parliamentary democracy) we the plebs still battle the barons for what they are prepared to cast down to us.

ITS HARD TO KNOW..the truth..but lets give
the 6 may...the maggi straight a clue.

i come to hrh couRTS..TO RETURN TO HER CONTROL/HER CROWN
[crown=govt/public services [all the common wealths courts forces etc

all sworn to serve and protect..her and her heirs aND SUCCESORS
one united commonweaLTH..UNDER ONE SAME common law..

i come..to offer hrh..the peace..in that the popes 1 and 2 do come and pass on the DUTY OF PETER..TO EDWARD..THAT IN DUE TIME HRH..PASS ON INTACTIO..And unite the two

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=6152&page=0#178808

6 th of may..i shaLL BE IN SPIRIT
TALKING TO A MAGGI STRAIGHT..GIVING TESTIMANT..THATR UNDER HERALDIC LAW..HE OR SHE is obligated to present..to hrh..in person

this shoulld result in just laqw/just money.hust governance/under the unity of christo/and her who reigns her common wealths forces to serve and protect

HER COIN..SHALL RESTORE THE COMMON WEALTH
EACH FIEFDOM/HAS ITS OWN COIN..IT WILL BE THE CROWN SERVING THE LIVING
[NOT DEAD CORPERATIONS SUKKING us dry]..it happens that the date falls after the nimbin mardigrass[1 ST WEEK END..IN MAY[I HAVE BEEN asked to do a recycling talk/by michael[he look like god..and is the nicest blokE ever..

IM NOT SURE HOW I GO OR NOT
but not going isnt an optION
[THE POSTER FOR IT IS HORRId/just/blood shot eye balls..HUNDRED OF THE BEGGERS..but that beats the one illuminated eye..that dont officialy/bind heaven..and tHE COMMON WEALTH[HER EARTH
http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=15995&page=0

I just love history. Most of it is just so wrong. What get's told is usually by the victors. Why something happened never get's mentioned.
Things like "Terra Nullius" Unfortunately that just didn't apply to Australia. It applied, as far as Europeans were concerned, to all of S.E Asia & Asia itself. The inhabitants of these lands were considered only to be animals. The siege of Lucknow & the Black hole of Calcutta were always tup to us as the terrible way the Chinese & Indians behaved to the British. Never mentioning the terrible British behaviour that caused these incidents. Don't get me started on what the Dutch & French did in Indonesia & Vietnam. Our Australian Aboriginal should think themselves they only had to deal with the British. not the Germans, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch & Belgians.

When I toured Europe I picked up lots of books from small towns which give a completely different light on what really happened through History in their areas & why. All I can say is that "School" got it so wrong.

Even Gallipoli could have been won on the first day if a couple of British Generals hadn't been so up themselves. (Hammersley, Stopford & Sitwell) Even what we were told about good General Custer is wrong.

Then, when looking at todays world. Let's look at the History of, say the last 10 years. Have three Professors write a separate accurate accounts. One Right & one Left leaning & a Green. How do you think that History would be portrayed by each. History is a dilemma that for sure.

I'll get to the Magna Charta later, it certainly wasn't kind to the Jews or Peasants.