“Experts can’t agree on exactly what caused this miracle, but everyone does agree that it started in England. Why there? British writer and politician Daniel Hannan explains that England had the perfect conditions for this miracle to grow.

One big reason was their legal system, called common law. Unlike other European countries with civil law, common law limited the power of kings. It used past cases to guide decisions. For example, if France and England both passed a law saying shipowners must give their ships to the king, a French judge would only check if the person owns the ship. But in England, the judge would think about the new law and the rights people have under common law. They might say the owner doesn’t have to give up their ship.

England being an island helped too. It meant fewer worries about invasion, so rulers didn’t focus as much on big armies. That made society less about war and more about freedom. Another thing that helped was how involved people were in society. A French historian named Alexis de Tocqueville noticed this spirit of individuality. He said English people working together made things happen that individuals couldn’t do alone. This mix of fair laws, active society, and rulers focused on people, not power, is what made the miracle happen.”