Some were warriors. Some were lawyers, some historians, some moved by an inner passion so great that they appeared to move against kingly power like moths to the flame, risking, and often giving, their lives. They wrote, cajoled, and sometimes cried out for all to hear that the law is above the king. This fascinating treatise examines how Western ideals of democracy have evolved and emerged through the ages and across continents. Craig S. Barnes shares the inspiring stories of a diverse group of men and women (whether they be leaders, poets, or peasants) who pioneered due process, habeas corpus, and the balance of powers. Exploring the premise that "democracy is not a given in social evolution," Barnes contrasts the heroic figures of history to those in recent administrations who he argues have ignored the precious nature of our inheritance and have placed democracy at risk. Democracy at the Crossroads is a stirring reminder of the fragility of our rule of law and the need for vigilant protection of our hard-won liberties. Craig S. Barnes began his career as a public interest lawyer dealing with women's rights and the environment. He was also active in politics and civil rights, running for Congress in Denver as a peace candidate in 1970. He is the author of Growing Up True and In Search of the Lost Feminine . "This could be a course conducted by your college's favorite prof: a compellingly lively survey of the struggle toward democracy and the rule of law in an historic setting strung from the Trojan Wars through the ones being waged against 21st-century terrorism. Lawyer Craig Barnes delves articulately into misrule by, among others, John I and Charles I of England- and the fed-uppedness of people with power to react." --Pasatiempo Blending history, politics, and social science, Craig S. Barnes says democracy is not natural in social evolution and if we're not careful, the office of president could easily become synonymous with King. 'Democracy at the Crossroads' is a fascinating read with many original ideas, highly recommended. --Library Bookwatch, February 2010 Craig Barnes began his career as a public interest lawyer dealing with women's rights and the environment. He was also active in politics and civil rights, running for Congress in Denver as a peace candidate in 1970. Democracy at the Crossroads Princes, Peasants, Poets, And Presidents in the Struggle For (And Against) The Rule of Law By Craig S. Barnes Fulcrum Publishing Copyright © 2009 Craig S. Barnes All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-55591-726-5 CHAPTER 1 The Long Life of Lying I announce that my origin is from Crete. — Odysseus, deceiving the swineherd upon his return to Ithaca, from Homer's The Odyssey Cretans always lie. — Epimenides, sixth-century bc Cretan philosopher It had taken almost thirty years for Charles Stuart to work himself into that chair in Westminster Hall. England had not gotten to that historic turning point in one lifetime, or, truly, in a dozen lifetimes. No king could be brought to trial without the force of history heaving against him like some great wave pushing the royal craft onto the rocks. No one in Parliament really wanted democracy. But the umbrage, insult, hurt, and sorrow that led the parliamentarians to that day had become an irresistible emotional force. Parliament wanted relief from chaos and anguish and confusion of loyalties and, in its way, the trial of Charles Stuart would justify and resolve their pain. The English struggle, however — and later the American triumph — cannot be understood in terms of one incident or one man. They are more than the story of John Cooke or Thomas Paine. The progress is not a straight line. The move toward democracy is sometimes reversed. It may be, ironically, that free societies are much easier to lose than to create. Reverting to tyranny is quicker. "Time is the enemy of republics," said former US senator Gary Hart. The senator may have been thinking that it did not take thirty years to get from Pericles to the death of Socrates, put to death by nameless elites. Caesar effectively did away with the Roman Republic in one lifetime. Whatever there was of German democracy was done away with by Hitler in less than a decade. Whatever strides Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin made toward the rule of law in Russia were done away with by Vladimir Putin in less than five years. Whatever was built by Americans over three hundred years was threatened by George W. Bush and Dick Cheney within the first four years of their term. It was clear during the years 2001 to 2009 that some deeper understanding of what was at stake was simply absent. The regime evidently did not understand the tradition that they were putting on the block. However tempting it might be to turn immediately to the issues raised by the recent US administration, the enormity of the potential loss cannot be understood if the focus is on these defendants alone. The crisis is not truly about th