CHV 2O The Origins of Democracy in Canada Part 1

As Canadians we enjoy a system of government which is a Parliamentary Democracy. We elect our representatives, and grant to them the authority to make decisions and to govern us !his system of government did not, however, just spring up from nowhere "t has taken many years, and often #itter and difficult struggle against repression, for our system of government to develop Ancient Democracies - Athens and Rome !he oldest system of government is a monarchy !he leader $ #e it a chief, lord, or king, was chosen on the #asis of inheritance $ his right to rule supposedly came from %od, and his power was a#solute "f the leader was enlightened and kind the people might prosper& #ut if he was a tyrant they would suffer "n any case their a#ility to influence decision making in an authoritarian government was very limited !he concept of democracy $ power from the people $ originated with the ancient Athenians appro'imately 2()) years ago Any citizen could voice his opinion and ideas a#out how the city should #e run However, the status of citi*en was limited to men, free #y #irth, of mature age +2,-, who were #orn in Athens Women, children, slaves, and foreigners had no say in the affairs of the government A similar form of democracy +derived from the %reeks- developed in ancient .ome a#out 2/)) years ago 0ike the %reeks, .oman citi*ens could participate in decision making Once again the right to claim citi*enship was e'clusively limited to free#orn men who were #orn in the .oman empire 1em#ers of the upper classes +the 2patricians3did not want to share power e4ually with the ordinary working class 2ple#eians3, so they created an upper house known as the senate which would have the final say in decisions 5oth the %reek and .oman democracies were eventually overthrown, to #e replaced #y authoritarian governments !he idea of democracy never completely disappeared however, and some of our parliamentary traditions +such as the 6enate- can #e traced to ancient times Parliamentary Democracy in Great Britain 7or much of its history 5ritain was ruled #y a#solute monarchs, who controlled the people of 5ritain and e'ploited their resources for their own #enefit "n ,2,8 9ing :ohn launched an ill$advised war against 7rance, ta'ing the people heavily to pay for his campaign, and forcing the no#les to supply men and materials !he war did not go well for 9ing :ohn, and he returned to 5ritain in defeat !he no#les, fed up with the 9ing;s tyrannical demands, re#elled !hey forced :ohn to sign the Magna Carta at .unnymede in ,2,/ !his document said that the 9ing was not a#ove the law, and put limitations on his powers for the first time !his was the origin of 5ritain;s constitutional monarchy .epresentatives of the no#les #egan to meet to hold discussions +7rench < parlezand e'ercise some of the powers that the 9ing had #een forced to give up !hese included the power to collect ta'es and to pass laws !his led to the development of Parliament !he no#les, clad in red ro#es, met in the House of 0ords, while the commoners met outside on the green grass +!hese colours are still associated with the two cham#ers of Canada;s =arliament, green for the House of Commons, and red for the 6enate -

5y ,>2/ =arliament was well esta#lished

However, the new 9ing, Charles ", #elieved in the 2?ivine .ight of 9ings3, and refused to give up some of his powers, leading to conflict with =arliament Charles would not talk to ordinary, common people, so the House of Commons had to elect a speaker to represent them When =arliament made decisions the 9ing did not like he had the 6peaker arrested and e'ecuted@ Aventually the Commons #arred the 9ing from entering "n ,>82 civil war #roke out in 5ritain #etween the 2.oyalists3 and the supporters of =arliament led #y Oliver Cromwell !he =arliamentary forces won Charles was tried for treason and pu#licly #eheaded in ,>8B 7or the ne't ,, years Oliver Cromwell and his supporters ruled Angland as a repu#lic When Cromwell died =arliament restored

Charles; son, Charles "", to the throne As a condition of restoring the monarchy 9ing Charles "" agreed to respect the decisions made #y =arliament "n ,>CC his son, 9ing :ames "" also fought with =arliament "n this case he was forced to a#dicate +to give up the throne- in a #loodless revolution "n his place 9ing William and Dueen 1ary #ecame monarchs !hey agreed to respect the supremacy of =arliament, and gave their royal assent to the 2Anglish 5ill of .ights3 which guaranteed free speech, and the election of mem#ers of =arliament Aver since ,>CB the 5ritish 1onarch has had a mainly advisory role in the affairs of government 5ills are still passed in the name of the 9ing or Dueen who serves as a figurehead and e'ercises mainly ceremonial powers However the real power resides with the =rime 1inister and governing party in =arliament 1any of our Canadian =arliamentary traditions came as cultural #aggage from 5ritain

,- !he concept of a 2citi*en3 as originally found in Athens and .ome was very exclusive important 4ualifications to #e a citi*enE Which groups of people were e'cludedE

What were the

2- How does the original concept of a citi*en differ from what we have in Canada todayE +What are the 4ualifications to #e a Canadian citi*en todayEF- What type of government did 5ritain originally haveE

8- Why was 9ing :ohn forced to sign the 1agna CartaE What important principles did it esta#lish for the first timeE

/- How did the events of ,2,/ help lead to the development of =arliamentE

>- What has happened over time to the relative power of the monarch and the power of the =arliamentE

(- Why are these long ago events in far away places relevant to us in Canada todayE