Authors: Bogdanor
Summary: In about 2300 words, the entry defines legislatures as "political institutions, whose members are formally equal to one another, whose autority derives from a claim that the members are representatives of the political community, and whose decisions are collectively made according to complex procedures". It then describes various types of internal organization and procedures (with special emphasis on the United States), their historical evolution and distinguishes legislatures according to their relationship with the executive and their functions.
Legislatures differ from bureaucracies because of the equal status of their members, of the lack of a formal division of labor and of the bargaining mode of decision making.
The roots of contemporary legislatures can be found in the Middle Ages when kings, with increasing regularity, convened aristocrats into assemblies to consult them about taxation or war. The term "legislature" was first employed to define such an assembly in the 17th century England, but its usage consolidated in the United States.
Many aspects of their organization,such as bicameralism, are heritage of the past, but other features result from adaptation to different political settings. On the basis of the relationship between legislature and the executive, the author distinguishes the American model (complete separation of the two) from the continental one (parlamentarism). In addition, according to the functions, the western model differs from the newly independent African and Asian states, since in the former legislatures have significant lawmaking and budget making power, while in the latter they have nation building tasks.