What Is a Bicameral Legislature?
Let me explain what a bicameral legislature is—it's a two-house system, just like the U.S. Congress with its House of Representatives and Senate, set up to provide checks and balances in government. The term comes from Latin: 'bi' for two and 'camera' for chamber.
You should know that the British Parliament, which is bicameral, has influenced most parliamentary systems globally. This setup contrasts with a unicameral system, where all legislators meet and vote as one group. In the U.S., the federal government and all states except Nebraska use bicameral systems, while most cities go with unicameral.
Key Takeaways
Understand that a bicameral legislature divides the legislative branch into two parts. In the U.S., that's the House and Senate. Globally, unicameral systems are more common, with about a 60/40 split favoring them over bicameral. Each house has different powers for checks and balances, and the House has looser requirements for members regarding age and citizenship compared to the Senate.
How a Bicameral System Works
In a bicameral setup, the two chambers can differ in structure, rules, member selection, and powers over legislation and other government branches, like the executive and judiciary in the U.S. There are practical and historical reasons for this: practically, it acts as a check within the legislative branch to prevent power concentration, and historically, it balanced different social classes.
This system started in medieval Europe, where nobility, clergy, and commoners had separate representatives advising the king. In England, this evolved into the House of Lords and House of Commons, with the Lords seen as more elite and the Commons representing the broader population.
History of Bicameralism in the U.S.
The U.S. bicameral system, with the House and Senate forming Congress, was established in Article 1, Section 1 of the Constitution. At the Constitutional Convention, founders disagreed on representation—equal per state or by population—so they created the Great Compromise to include both.
The Senate was meant to represent states (originally appointed by legislatures), while the House represents people through elections. This shows in their powers: the Senate advises and oversees, the House handles taxation. House members serve two-year terms for voter responsiveness, with 435 seats proportional to state population—Alabama has seven, California 53, and the smallest states one each.
Senators, two per state for equal representation, serve six years and are now directly elected since the 1913 Seventeenth Amendment. Requirements differ: House members need to be 25, U.S. citizens for seven years, and state residents; Senators 30, citizens for nine years, and residents.
Unique powers include the House impeaching officials and originating tax bills, while the Senate tries impeachments, confirms appointments, and ratifies treaties.
Bicameralism vs. Unicameralism
Worldwide, 41% of governments are bicameral—like Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, the U.K., Ireland, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, and the Czech Republic—while 59% are unicameral. Chamber details vary by country. Unicameral systems gained popularity in the 20th century, with switches in places like Greece, New Zealand, and Peru.
The Bottom Line
To wrap this up, a bicameral legislature is a two-house system, as in the U.S. Congress, contrasting with unicameral where everyone deliberates together. The U.S. adopted it for balanced power, and it's key to understanding government structures.
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