EXTRA-Paarliament's 2 chambers Flashcards
What are legislatures?
Legislatures are representative bodies that reflect the sentiments and opinions of the public. Their members consider public issues and pass laws on them. Most countries have a legislature as part of their institutions of government
What were most early legislatures created to do?
to provide advice to the political executive, often a monarch, and to represent various political groups
What is the roots of the word ‘legislature’?
the latin term legis (law) and latio (proposing)
What is the legislature?
legislatures are the branch of government empowered to make law
What do unicameral legislatures have?
one chamber
What 2 countries are examples of a unicameral legislature?
Bulgaria and Sweden
Who do bicameral legislatures have?
two chambers
What 2 countries are examples of a bicameral legislature?
Australia and the UK
When are bicameral legislatures more common?
in federal states rather than unitary ones
How many countries does bicameralism now operate in?
c60
Why is it an advantage that under a bicameral legislature the second chamber acts as a check on the first chamber?
if a government has a landslide majority then this can prevent executive dominance
Why is bicameralism positive in federal states?
as this gives representation to the regions
Why is the upper chamber of bicameralism an advantage in terms of legislation?
it allows time for careful scrutiny of a bill, allowing time for debate; unlike the very busy HOC
What is a disadvantage of bicameralism in terms of the efficiency of government?
the second chamber slows down the task of government, sometimes delaying much needed legislation
Why can the second chamber be criticised as undemocratic?
as they are not elected, they are not representative of the electorate and may then adopt a broadly conservative viewpoint
What could happen between both chambers in bicameralism?
this could lead to a constitutional gridlock, institutionalising conflict between the two houses
What are the 3 main roles of the legislature?
- to legislate
- representation
- Accountability
How does the legislature perform the role of legislating?
The majority of members of the legislature needs to vote to authorise the passage of any law
How does the legislature perform the role of representation?
elected representatives represent public opinions and public interests within the governing process and therefore provide an important role in providing a link between government and the people
How does the legislature perform the role of accountability?
Legislatures normally oversee the actions of the Political Executive. This scrutiny means that there are regular procedures by which the legislature can question and even investigate whether the Executive has acted properly in its implementation of public policies.
What do assemblies do?
they recruit and train the next generation of political leaders
What does accountability mean?
This relates to the system of control and answerability which is seen as a key element of democratic and representative government. By various mechanisms, ministers have to account for their stewardship of the nations affairs to the elected HOC
On the floor of the chamber, other than the involvement in lawmaking what else do members take part in?
other activities such as discussion of financial provisions, participation in general debate and asking questions
Who said that the HOL performs the role of legitimisation in 2003?
Robins
