Ask the Scholar
Page 12 of 120
I can add historical knowledge about this page.
Page image
OCR
8
SECRET
is as concerned as any other would be with
of monarchs, who were apt to be strong when
Britain's international stature and its world-
strength was needed and weak when weakness
wide strategic requirements. The pace of co-
was beneficial. The history of government in
lonial political and economic development has
medieval England is largely that of strong
reached a historic high under its guidance, not
kings suppressing the lawlessness of the no-
as a liquidating process but as a strengthen-
bility with the frequent help of the rising
ing one. Relationships within the Empire will
middle class. When this work had been ac-
change steadily as a result of British policy.
complished the middle class turned against
There is reason for believing, however, that
its ally, and reduced the king to the status
while some elements may follow Burma out of
of a useful ornament. As the twentieth cen-
the Commonwealth and Empire, the progres-
tury opened, the position of the middle class
sive leadership and cohesive forces flowing
itself began to show signs of weakness, and
from the UK-economic, political and securi-
the process of evolution continued.
ty-will continue to hold the majority. The
With a few notable exceptions the English
success of the UK, however, in maintaining
monarchs from William the Conqueror to
this more flexible means of influence depends
Queen Elizabeth (who died in 1603) were in-
not only on the political skill of its govern-
dividuals of great ability and powerful will.
ments but also on the recovery of a sound eco-
The chief problem which confronted them was
nomic position.
to maintain their royal authority against the
2. The Genesis of British Parliamentary
perpetual opposition of the feudal baronage,
and to do SO despite the fact that the feudal
Democracy.
baronage itself constituted the backbone of
The British system of government is the
the king's own military resources. The
product of more than a thousand years of grad-
stronger kings succeeded in preventing private
ual evolution. In its essential continuity, its
warfare, and in retaining under their own
relative freedom from violent civil conflicts and
control the military propensities of English-
revolutionary upheavals, its lack of moments
men. Also, the monarchs continued and
of sweeping innovation, this evolution is
strengthened the Anglo-Saxon county courts
unparalleled in the history of modern nations.
and established new courts in the boroughs;
Yet along with their penchant for gradualism
using these non-feudal institutions they by-
the British have displayed an extraordinary
passed the private jurisdiction of the baronage
creativeness in the practice of politics and gov-
and founded the English judicial system upon
ernment. The structure of civil liberties, the
the authority of their own royal judges, who
processes of parliamentary government and of
travelled throughout the country offering a
limited monarchy, the independence of the
better and cheaper procedure than the nobility
judiciary and the rule of law were turned into
themselves could provide. The removal of
working reality by the British, and their form
judicial processes from the private jurisdiction
of government has consequently enjoyed in-
of feudal lords to the national jurisdiction of
comparable prestige throughout the world. It
the king was the most remarkable and popular
was for long the principal model for all men
of the early royal innovations.
of liberal political persuasion. It has in-
Of all the early English governmental in-
spired countless revolutions. And its evolu-
stitutions, however, that of Parliament was the
tion has not ceased; the system is even now
most notable. By normal feudal practice the
passing through a period of transition, as it
higher nobility and clergy had both the right
has often done in the past.
and the duty of assembling to assist and advise
the king upon matters political and legal.
In the evolution of British political institu-
During the thirteenth century the kings be-
tions, the most important factors have been
gan occasionally to summon representatives
the character of the people, the insular and
from the citizenry of the counties and bor-
protected position of the country, and a great
oughs, primarily in order that these folk might
degree of good fortune in the early succession
be persuaded to grant money in taxes, but also
SECRET
Page data
- Page
- 12
- Source index
- 0
- Type
- photo
- Media ID
- ca3bce85bd78fe8e
- Size
- unknown
Document data
- ID
- 486500365
- Core
- doc
- Type
- document
DTO data
{
"id": "486500365",
"sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/486500365",
"contentType": "document",
"title": "Report, Central Intelligence Agency, United Kingdom, Situation Report 25",
"citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/486500365",
"collections": [
"President's Secretary's Files (Truman Administration)",
"Intelligence Files"
],
"iiifBase": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875509/875509-01-001.tif",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875509/875509-01-001.tif",
"largeImageUrl": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875509/875509-01-001.tif",
"imageCount": 120,
"hasImages": true,
"source": "import",
"hasTranscription": false
}
Context sent to Scholar
Document identity
{
"localId": "486500365",
"label": "Report, Central Intelligence Agency, United Kingdom, Situation Report 25",
"core": "doc",
"dtoType": "document",
"citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/486500365"
}
Document source metadata
{
"id": "486500365",
"sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/486500365",
"contentType": "document",
"title": "Report, Central Intelligence Agency, United Kingdom, Situation Report 25",
"citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/486500365",
"collections": [
"President's Secretary's Files (Truman Administration)",
"Intelligence Files"
],
"iiifBase": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875509/875509-01-001.tif",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875509/875509-01-001.tif",
"largeImageUrl": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875509/875509-01-001.tif",
"imageCount": 120,
"hasImages": true,
"source": "import",
"hasTranscription": false
}
Document source extras
{
"url": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/486500365",
"naId": 486500365,
"levelOfDescription": "item",
"productionDates": [
{
"day": 7,
"logicalDate": "1949-12-07",
"month": 12,
"year": 1949
}
],
"recordType": "description",
"ocrSource": "nara-archive"
}
Page context
{
"seq": 12,
"pageIndex": 0,
"type": "photo",
"url": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875509/875509-01-012.tif",
"mediaId": "ca3bce85bd78fe8e",
"ocrText": "8\nSECRET\nis as concerned as any other would be with\nof monarchs, who were apt to be strong when\nBritain's international stature and its world-\nstrength was needed and weak when weakness\nwide strategic requirements. The pace of co-\nwas beneficial. The history of government in\nlonial political and economic development has\nmedieval England is largely that of strong\nreached a historic high under its guidance, not\nkings suppressing the lawlessness of the no-\nas a liquidating process but as a strengthen-\nbility with the frequent help of the rising\ning one. Relationships within the Empire will\nmiddle class. When this work had been ac-\nchange steadily as a result of British policy.\ncomplished the middle class turned against\nThere is reason for believing, however, that\nits ally, and reduced the king to the status\nwhile some elements may follow Burma out of\nof a useful ornament. As the twentieth cen-\nthe Commonwealth and Empire, the progres-\ntury opened, the position of the middle class\nsive leadership and cohesive forces flowing\nitself began to show signs of weakness, and\nfrom the UK-economic, political and securi-\nthe process of evolution continued.\nty-will continue to hold the majority. The\nWith a few notable exceptions the English\nsuccess of the UK, however, in maintaining\nmonarchs from William the Conqueror to\nthis more flexible means of influence depends\nQueen Elizabeth (who died in 1603) were in-\nnot only on the political skill of its govern-\ndividuals of great ability and powerful will.\nments but also on the recovery of a sound eco-\nThe chief problem which confronted them was\nnomic position.\nto maintain their royal authority against the\n2. The Genesis of British Parliamentary\nperpetual opposition of the feudal baronage,\nand to do SO despite the fact that the feudal\nDemocracy.\nbaronage itself constituted the backbone of\nThe British system of government is the\nthe king's own military resources. The\nproduct of more than a thousand years of grad-\nstronger kings succeeded in preventing private\nual evolution. In its essential continuity, its\nwarfare, and in retaining under their own\nrelative freedom from violent civil conflicts and\ncontrol the military propensities of English-\nrevolutionary upheavals, its lack of moments\nmen. Also, the monarchs continued and\nof sweeping innovation, this evolution is\nstrengthened the Anglo-Saxon county courts\nunparalleled in the history of modern nations.\nand established new courts in the boroughs;\nYet along with their penchant for gradualism\nusing these non-feudal institutions they by-\nthe British have displayed an extraordinary\npassed the private jurisdiction of the baronage\ncreativeness in the practice of politics and gov-\nand founded the English judicial system upon\nernment. The structure of civil liberties, the\nthe authority of their own royal judges, who\nprocesses of parliamentary government and of\ntravelled throughout the country offering a\nlimited monarchy, the independence of the\nbetter and cheaper procedure than the nobility\njudiciary and the rule of law were turned into\nthemselves could provide. The removal of\nworking reality by the British, and their form\njudicial processes from the private jurisdiction\nof government has consequently enjoyed in-\nof feudal lords to the national jurisdiction of\ncomparable prestige throughout the world. It\nthe king was the most remarkable and popular\nwas for long the principal model for all men\nof the early royal innovations.\nof liberal political persuasion. It has in-\nOf all the early English governmental in-\nspired countless revolutions. And its evolu-\nstitutions, however, that of Parliament was the\ntion has not ceased; the system is even now\nmost notable. By normal feudal practice the\npassing through a period of transition, as it\nhigher nobility and clergy had both the right\nhas often done in the past.\nand the duty of assembling to assist and advise\nthe king upon matters political and legal.\nIn the evolution of British political institu-\nDuring the thirteenth century the kings be-\ntions, the most important factors have been\ngan occasionally to summon representatives\nthe character of the people, the insular and\nfrom the citizenry of the counties and bor-\nprotected position of the country, and a great\noughs, primarily in order that these folk might\ndegree of good fortune in the early succession\nbe persuaded to grant money in taxes, but also\nSECRET"
}