ABSTRACT

The natural starting point for an analysis on the role of parliament in a representative democracy is, of course, 19th century England as captured by Walter Bagehot in The English Constitution. In the field of legislative research, Bagehot’s analysis of the functions of parliament is a classic, much like Marx’ work on class struggle and Weber’s on bureaucracy. It would be an act of disrespect not to introduce the present discussion with a bow to the old master. 1