The idea that people have rights and that the power of government should be limited can be significantly attributed to the Magna Carta. Signed in 1215, the Magna Carta is a foundational document in the history of democracy and individual rights. It established the principle that everyone, including the king, is subject to the law and that certain rights are inherent to individuals, which laid the groundwork for the development of constitutional law.
While common law and parliamentary institutions like the House of Commons and House of Parliament have also contributed to the evolution of rights and limited government, the Magna Carta is particularly notable for its direct role in asserting the idea of legal rights against arbitrary authority.