Liberty: Ancient and Modern
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Liberty: Ancient and Modern is part of the 2016 Contextual Lecture Series: Taking Liberties.
The Magna Carta is often described as the foundation of the rule of law and liberty in English law and political life. Yet it is much more often invoked than read. Taking the Magna Carta as a whole many of the clauses seem highly context bound, and on the face of it do more to solidify privilege and social distinction than to guarantee freedom for all. In this talk I will explore part of the Magna Carta, looking at its implications especially for property, religious freedom, liberty and equality.
Jonathan Wolff is Professor of Philosophy and Dean of Arts and Humanities at University College London. He is a political philosopher, and author of books such as An Introduction to Political Philosophy (third edition forthcoming 2016), Why Read Marx Today (2002) and Ethics and Public Policy (2011). He is currently working on the topic of social equality. He has been a member of a number of public committees such as the Gambling Review Body and the Nuffield Council, and he writes a monthly column on higher education for the Guardian.
