Malcolm Rutherford wrote:  
>I don't think the common law was entirely   
>spontaneous, as the central government of the   
>time was involved in the effort to have   
>local  courts adopt a common set of rules.  
  
On reading this discussion, I am somewhat   
confused as to what definition of "sponteneity"   
is being used. The complex system of common law   
courts are hardly a "spontaneous" phenomenon, by   
any definition of that term that I can locate.  
  
  
John C. Medaille