A significant dispute between the British monarchy and parliament during the reign of the Stuart Monarchs.
Who is in charge and why?
- Is the king in charge because God said so?
- Or are the people in charge - popular sovereignty - because they agree to form the existing governing system including a separate equally powerful legislature?
- The answer has a significant impact on the nature of power - is it concentrated or separated?
Divine Right: Power has been vested by God in specific individual who then acts as "God's Lieutenant" on earth. Any power delegated to others is done as a discretionary favor by the monarch.
- Britannica: Divine Right of Kings.
- Wikipedia: Divine Right of Kings.
- The True Law of Free Monarchies.
- Patriarcha.
- Divine Right.
Popular Rule: People - whoever that term refers to - are equal in terms of their relationship with a deity. they each possess independent power, but must then must determine how best to secure themselves from threats to their property and freedom.
Key text from the U.S. Declaration of Independence: We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that, to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.
- Parliaments, 1604-1629: The reigns of James I and Charles I.
- Britannica: Two Treatises of Government.
- Britannica: Two Treatises of Government.
Popular rule in the preambles of the U.S. and Texas Constitutions:
The Preamble of the U.S. Constitution: We the People of the United States . . . do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
The Preamble of the Texas Constitution: Humbly invoking the blessings of Almighty God, the people of the State of Texas, do ordain and establish this Constitution.
You Tube:
- Charles I enters the House of Commons.
- Queen's Black Rod has door slammed in his face by MPs.
- Wikipedia: Black Rod.
- Trial of King Charles.
- Execution of Charles I, 30th January 1649.
