What fundamental principle does the Magna Carta establish?

The Magna Carta, signed in 1215, is a foundational document in the development of constitutional governance and the rule of law. Its most significant principle is that everyone, including the monarch, is subject to the law. This revolutionary idea established the notion that no one is above the law, which was a radical shift from the prevailing belief that the monarch had absolute power.

The Magna Carta introduced concepts such as due process and the right to a fair trial, principles that have greatly influenced modern legal systems and democratic governance. It laid the groundwork for the later development of rights and liberties that citizens enjoy today.

The other options suggest ideas contrary to the principles embodied in the Magna Carta. For example, the notion that only the monarch has rights under the law or that only nobles have the right to a fair trial represents a restricted view of justice that the Magna Carta sought to dissolve. Likewise, the statement that citizens do not have rights against the government directly contradicts the intent and outcomes of the Magna Carta, which aimed to limit the powers of the monarch and establish protections for individual rights.