INDEPENDENCE, RIGHTS AND LIFE

Statue of Robert the Bruce by Pilkington Jackson,
near Bannockburn Heritage Centre

The 24^th June is a day most celebrated in Scotland. The decisive battle in the First War of Scottish Independence was the Scottish victory over the English at the Battle of Bannockburn (worth a listen) in 1314. Troop numbers seem to vary quite a bit, depending on whose history you read, but the English force was approximately twice the size of the Scottish. The Scottish victory was complete. 

Other acts of independence are also celebrated on the 24th June. It was on this day in 1793 that the constitution of the First French Republic was established.

The Constitution of 24 June 1793: (Acte constitutionnel du 24 juin 1793), also known as the Constitution of the Year I, or the The Montagnard Constitution (French: Constitution montagnarde), was the constitution which instated the First Republic during the French Revolution. Following a referendum, it was ratified by the National Convention on 24 June 1793. The Constitution was inspired by the Declaration of the Rights of Man of 1789, to which it added several rights: it proclaimed the superiority of popular sovereignty over national sovereignty; various economic and social rights (rights of association. right to work and public assistance, right to public education); the right of rebellion (and duty to rebel when the government violates the right of the people); and the abolition of slavery written in what is known as the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen of 1793.

What is of note in this constitution is the citizen's "duty to rebel when the government violates the right of the people".  This duty is supported the the citizen's right of rebellion. This right is clearly being exercised rather dramatically in North Africa and the Middle East. It is not surprising that the French were among the first on the political scene in trying to come to the assistance of those demonstrating. It was part of their first democratic constitution; although, their own colonial past and behaviour  (Indo China, Algeria...) is not particularly supportive of that proposition. Nevertheless they are a supportive presence now.

Another act of independence or liberation of a sort occurred on the 24th June 1982. BA Flight 9 lost all four engines in a volcanic cloud. Due to the brilliance of the crew, everyone survived. There were 248 passengers and 15 crew.