Genius of Western Civilisation - Ep. 3: The Rule of Law (4K) [6-part Celebration of The West]

The West is the New Culture Forum's landmark six-part documentary series exploring the history, achievements and genius of Western civilisation. Inspired by legendary TV programmes such as Civilisation, Kenneth Clark's 1969 masterpiece, The West is a bold reminder of who we are -- and why our culture is worth defending.

Episode 3: The Rule of Law
The West is a place where even kings must kneel before the law. Starting with the scourging of King Henry II for the murder of St Thomas a Becket, this episode explores how the West's uniquely decentralised and distributed structure unleashed human possibility.

The competition between Western nations and the conflicting power centres within, including between church and state, created spaces in which shocking new ideas, projects and inventions could emerge and take hold. But it was the power of law to hold even kings and emperors to account – symbolised in the sealing of Magna Carta – which was the greatest secret of Western success.

New episodes of The West premiere weekly, here on our YouTube channel:

Episode 3: The Rule of Law
Episode 4: The Invention of Science
Episode 5: How Did The West Get So Rich?
Episode 6: Is The West History?

ABOUT THE SERIES:

In six 30-40 minute episodes, The West offers a brand new, panoramic account of our extraordinary, unconventional civilisation. This is the great, and still unfolding adventure of Western civilisation: who we are and why it matters, retold for a new generation.

The West is written and presented by Marc Sidwell, Senior Fellow at the New Culture Forum and author of the NCF's critically acclaimed book: "The Long March: How the Left Won the Culture War and What To Do About it".

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JOIN US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

[jumblestiltskin]

It honestly beggars belief (mine anyway), that we allow, tolerate, encourage and, in many cases, vote for leaders, institutions, media, justice systems etc that appear to be actively beavering away at denigrating, guilt lading, shame loading, and destruction of the principles that makes this country and the West, the very special, rare and unique places in a very dark world.

[patrickjoneill]

"The Rule of Law" sounds jolly fine, but so much legislation seems to be imposed and/or misinterpreted that it has become oppressive. For example, did those who passed the Equality Act of 2010 envisage a policeman demanding to "check your thinking", or, as reported this week, the police confiscating a collection of dolls from a pub because they might be deemed offensive? And please don't start me on the Human Rights Act, which has given judges carte blanche to make up the law as they go along - and why has no commentator ever asked a so-called "refugee" what part of asylum law entitles them to choose which country they would like to live in? And the "right to protest" has in practice become the right to riot, obstruct and cause damage . These are just a few examples of how the West, or Britain at least, seems to have given up on the sensible enforcement of laws to benefit law-abiding people.

[toucan]

I Do hope NCF can come up with More documentaries like this. I think this is great contribution to our Western history and understanding of our view of ourselves and attitude to life

[hollyylloh]

Breathtaking, hope in a bottle, thank you and God bless you all at N.C.F. and fellow followers
May you all have a peaceful and content Easter ❤🙏

[GaryOzbourne-mpyv]

You talk about ENGLISH LAW then why have we got SHARI'A LAW in are LAW in the UK its supposed to be BRITISH LAW
OTHER COUNTRIES SHOULD STOP PUSHING THERE LAWS ON US

[Bullcutter]

Fantastic documentary. Really good to see the civilising effect of Christianity acknowledged.

[benh]

This series needs to be part of the citizenship process for UK immigrants. And part of the national curriculum.

[gspurlock]

Thanks so much for yet another great documentary. I eagerly await the remaining episodes. These documentaries explain a rather complex history in a way that is both accurate and easy to assimilate.

[shedactivist]

I remember a time when quality content like this could only be found on the BBC. Imagine what the BBC would have done with the same brief as the NCF had. Makes me shudder.

[truthseeker]

Superb documentary. This should be mandated viewing in every school, university and company in the country.

[markanderson]

These is an excellent series. Please keep these videos coming.

[barrylarking]

Essential viewing. Well done. The series is building into an impressive intellectual achievement.

[achantus]

The rule of law is great, but what if the laws themselves have become immoral, and what if the laws are being used against us?

[nono]

These are so good. I don't know why they don't have more views and likes.

[edcottingham]

Best episode yet! Just so very powerful and stimulating bringing together both very early and later contributions of Christianity with the working out of the Western idea of civilization under rational and restrained law evolved both from political philosophy and from common law consensus of what feels deeply right and just to a Christian people.

And how did the magic happen to burst through in the West and much less so elsewhere? I admit to some very retrograde ideas about our Western "stock, " which is to say that our genetic inheritance, in which I believe a quality of temperament is as important as raw intelligence, was amply supplied with both. And just looking just at the IQ piece, while I have believed that we Euro-Americans were more generously endowed than some peoples, it is far from clear that we are the top dog of the world in raw brainpower compared to Asians or, even, Middle Easterners. Still, it was ~our~ forbears who brought forth this triumphant civilization. And this series makes clear that our success has been powerfully propelled by a rather accidental history, a sometimes chaotic path building up a free, liberal, just, competitive and creative culture by generations standing on the shoulders of previous generations. A civilization that emerged from the best ideas overcoming older ideas throughout the centuries. As a secularist, I am reluctant to over emphasize the role of Christianity. Yet it is clear, that the roots were very much Christian. And I speak of "roots" rather than "seeds" to credit the continuing influence of the Christian ethos even as other branches of the Western story filled out (liberty, democracy, rationalism, capitalism, freedom of thought, etc.) and have sometimes been in (creative) tension with Christian doctrine and belief.

[vandpubsell]

Very professional production. Well done.

[itsmeitsme]

Brilliant. This has the feel of the documentaries that the BBC made when it was watchable.
I'm saddened that this series has not received more views.
Well done NCF.

[alwaysright]

Ours may become the first civilization destroyed, not by the power of our enemies, but by the ignorance of our teachers and the dangerous nonsense they are teaching our children.
- Thomas Sowell

[royburston]

Another superb episode, of interest to me because the law is the part of the past I know least about. Thank you.

[TheWhitehiker]

No, you've got to move from asserting what we believe to REBUTTAL--
going after the woke ID poli basic arguments and presuppositions.
We are behind in catching up.