The Genius of Western Civilization, Part 3: The Rule of Law

This 37-minute video is Part 3 of the New Culture Forum’s landmark six-part documentary series exploring the history, achievements and genius of Western civilization. Inspired by legendary TV programs 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.

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 decentralized and distributed structure unleashed human possibility. The competition between Western nations and the conflicting power centers 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 – symbolized in the sealing of Magna Carta, which was the greatest secret of Western success.