10 Facts You Should Know About the Magna Carta
5. It played an important part in the development of parliament
In King John’s time there was no parliament. Because the Magna Carta established the council of 25 barons whom the king was supposed to consult on matters that were important to the country, many people also believe it sowed the seeds for parliamentary democracy in England. Even though John was not required to take the barons’ advice, this did mark the beginning of the power being shared by more people. The running of the state was now the concern of a group rather than an individual.
Perhaps the Magna Carta’s main contribution to parliamentary democracy was that it was the first document in English history to limit the power of the monarch and transfer a large part of it to a group of peers. Until then, there had been a belief that the monarch was the absolute ruler and therefore could do whatever he pleased. The Magna Carta forced the king to accept that there should be some laws that even the monarchy had to obey.
