The British gave America the basics of government and a history of societal organization dating to the Magna Carta. However, the United Kingdom has no equivalent of the US Bill of Rights. American concepts such a freedom of speech, freedom of state interference in religion, and rights to bear arms are unmatched in the island nation.
Despite the absence of these rights and many others, Brits have recently discovered their own Freedom of Information Act.
High trust societies are predicated on free flow of information between citizens, particularly regarding the performance of their government. Only an informed citizenry is equipped to embarrass and change the behavior of errant officials.
British citizens are still referred to as “subjects”, but at least now they are informed subjects.
Full Story