Legislatures
- Compare unicameral and bicameral legislatures across the core countries
- Explain the functions of legislatures and how their real power varies
- Distinguish genuine lawmaking bodies from rubber-stamp legislatures
One chamber or two
Legislatures are unicameral (one chamber) or bicameral (two). The UK Parliament is bicameral: the elected House of Commons holds real power, while the appointed/hereditary House of Lords can only delay and revise. Russia’s Federal Assembly is bicameral (the elected State Duma and the Federation Council representing regions). Mexico and Nigeria are bicameral federal legislatures with a chamber of deputies/representatives and a senate. China’s National People’s Congress and Iran’s Majlis are unicameral. Bicameralism is common in federal states because a second chamber can represent regional units.
What legislatures do
Legislatures share core functions: making laws, representing citizens, overseeing the executive, controlling budgets, and (in parliamentary systems) selecting the government. But how much real power they wield varies enormously. The UK House of Commons genuinely legislates and can bring down a government. Mexico’s and Nigeria’s legislatures debate and can check the president, though party discipline and executive dominance limit them. In authoritarian systems, legislatures may exist mainly for show.
Rubber-stamp legislatures
A rubber-stamp legislature approves decisions already made elsewhere rather than debating and shaping them independently. China’s National People’s Congress is the classic example: it is the constitutionally "highest organ of state power," but in practice it ratifies decisions made by the Chinese Communist Party leadership, meeting briefly and rarely dissenting. Iran’s Majlis is more active and can debate legislation, but the Guardian Council can veto its laws and disqualify its candidates, sharply limiting its independence. Comparing these to the UK Commons shows how the same institution can be powerful or hollow depending on the regime.
One national legislature meets for only a couple of weeks each year, passes nearly every measure by overwhelming margins, and never rejects a proposal from the ruling party. Another can defeat the executive and force a change of government. Compare their real power and identify a core country for each.
- 1.Examine the first legislature: brief sessions, near-unanimous votes, and no rejection of ruling-party proposals indicate it does not independently shape policy.
- 2.Classify it: this is a rubber-stamp legislature that ratifies decisions made by the ruling party — China’s National People’s Congress fits.
- 3.Examine the second legislature: the ability to defeat the executive and force a change of government indicates genuine legislative power.
- 4.Classify it: this is a powerful parliamentary legislature — the UK House of Commons, which can remove a government through a no-confidence vote.
Which core country’s national legislature is most accurately described as a "rubber-stamp" body that ratifies decisions made by the ruling party?
Watch for bicameralism tracking federalism: federal states (Russia, Mexico, Nigeria) tend to have a second chamber representing regions, while the unitary authoritarian systems (China, Iran) are unicameral. The UK is unitary but bicameral — a useful exception to remember.
Why is the power of Iran’s Majlis (parliament) considered limited despite its ability to debate and pass legislation?
Rank the six legislatures by real power: UK Commons (highest, can topple governments) → Mexico/Nigeria (real but executive-dominated) → Russia/Iran (constrained by the executive or Guardian Council) → China NPC (rubber stamp). This ordering answers many comparison questions.
Answer the 2 checkpoints as you read.
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