What do King Henry VIII and modern American counterterrorism policy have in common?
More than you might think.
In this episode, attorney Nathan M. F. Charles examines the history of England’s treason laws, the persecution and execution of Sir Thomas More, and the Framers’ deliberate decision to place a narrow definition of treason directly into the U.S. Constitution.
The Founders understood a recurring danger in government: the temptation to stretch politically charged legal labels until they encompass ordinary political opposition. The Constitution’s Treason Clause was designed to prevent exactly that abuse.
Today, the same underlying question remains relevant. What happens when governments attempt to redefine ideological opponents as threats to the state? Where is the line between punishing unlawful conduct and targeting political beliefs?
To understand the present, we must understand the past.
The Founders narrowly defined treason because they had seen how kings abused the charge to suppress dissent. Have we learned that lesson—or are we repeating it under a different label?
