Secrets of the Magna Carta (2017) User Reviews

More a right wing commercial than history program

[sevennationparty · 1/10 · 25 December 2020]

This should not be declared as an historical documentary.

John Templeton Foundation and Adam Smith Institute seem to use the topic to lobby for conservative politics today.

Some people may even say it is obvious right wing propaganda by dubious "experts" in the program.

Political propaganda dressed up as historical documentary.

[Bert45 · 1/10 · 26 June 2018]

This is, without a doubt, one of the most piteously shallow and blatant pieces of modern-day political propaganda that I have had the misfortune to watch. The title promises a revelation of some supposed "secrets" of the famous and history-changing 1215 English document of rights called the Magna Carta. It does no such thing - because there are no secrets. Anyone who has read and studied that document and the times and circumstances in which it was created will know this. Instead, what we get from this supposed "documentary" is little more than a right-wing polemic that could have been written by the Tea Party faction of the US Republican Party. The message is as simplistic and self-serving as it could possibly be: America is great, all free enterprise is good, and all government is bad. Government exists purely to steal all your rights and tax all your wealth (boo-hiss, nasty evil Government!), whereas unbridled and unfettered free enterprise will guarantee your freedom, wealth and happiness - because the Magna Carta says so. There were many statements and claims in this once-over-lightly view of American and world history that screamed out to be challenged and questioned. But, for me, one of the most sickening views came with its brief mention of the Second World War and the claim that, in order to make the guns, tanks and planes that the US needed to fight and win, American private industry had to be allowed to make profits. As it turned out, American private industry made huge profits from the Second World War - including some US automotive giants whose European subsidiaries actually produced armaments for Nazi Germany while the Luftwaffe was bombing the very home of the Magna Carta! In the end, this programme is not about the Magna Carta, or any supposed "secrets" that document might contain. It is nothing more than a blatant exploitation of the 800th anniversary of the creation of that document to push a modern-day political agenda. The Magna Carta was a far greater contribution to democracy than the people behind this piece of dross could ever imagine. This is a shameful piece of work.

Thought provoking look into the source of hard won freedoms

[hansenm-53715 · 19 December 2021]

This rare deep dive into history gives a useful insight into the long evolution of freedoms taken for granted by the citizens of western countries. The warnings around how these are under increasing at risk from exponential growth in centralized bureaucracy will upset some viewers. However, the two episodes present a coherent and reasoned argument backed up with a solid fact base. I suggest those writing negative views should back up their soundbites with similar rigor.