The relationship between the English (later the British) people and the state has evolved over the past millennium from one where one man (the monarch) ruled with few mechanisms for legitimate dissent to a modern constitutional monarchy in which most legislative power is vested in Parliament with a largely elected executive and an independent judiciary.
This has mostly been achieved as a result of popular protest of one sort or another forcing the rulers to give more power to the ruled. Although in 2025 in the UK the people still remain subjects of the crown, there are far more ways they can influence government than in the twelfth century. In this article we look at some key documents online that could be viewed as turning points in this process of protest.
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