It is a remarkable fact that a nation with so much history of liberty to boast of ignores its most crucial contribution to political progress, namely the gains of the civil war. it was this period between 1640 and 1649 that first secured parliamentary sovereignty, judicial independence and comparative religious toleration (except for Catholics, who were then regarded as terrorists). This amazing period in which torture was abolished and the Star Chamber with its executive abuses of power was shut down, were all a crucial part in the progress to modern democracy that was consolidated by the trial of Charles 1 on charges of tryanny.
This should be the proudest moment in our history, yet it is never recognised as such by a nation that is still befuddled by Royalist propaganda. It just seems so terrible to have cut off the head of the only monarch who ever cared about culture, yet it was that verdict on Charles 1 which confirmed the first steps towards democracy. The period of the civil war and the republic in Britain is arguably the crucible period for modern political history.
Yet we teach our children about it both fleetingly and perversely. Most history courses pretend that the republic never happened - it's called "the Interregnum". The department of education says that children at 13 may be taught briefly about 1649 but only by teaching them that the republicans were men of violence and revenge. Reading the syllabus is like reading 17th century Royalist propaganda - it's all about the myth of the "universal groan" over the king's execution and Cromwell's supposed war crimes which were not war crimes at all by the standards of the time. This period is entirely ignored for GCSE examinations, as is most of British history - our children end up learning more about the Third Reich and the new Deal than they do about the forging of their own democratic institutions.
It's great that Gordon Brown is talking about a written constitution - we are the only country other than Saudi Arabia and North Korea that does not have one. Instead, we have "conventions" and "royal prerogatives" - nudges and winks and a political old boys network that will be totally confused if the next election results in a hung parliament. I would recommend that we start by reviving the only constituion we have ever had - namely the Instrument of Government of 1654. It's a remarkable document which actually reposes ultimate power in parliament, including the power to make war.
