THE HISTORY OF PARLIAMENT

Parliament is one of the oldest and most honored parts of the British government. Its name, from the French word parler (“to talk”), was given to meetings of the English king's council in the mid-13th century. Its immediate predecessor was the king's feudal council, the Curia Regis, and before that the Anglo-Saxon witan or witenagemot. It was a device resorted to by the medieval kings to help them in running their governments and reflected the idea that the king should consult with his subjects.

In the 13th century, several elements combined to influence the development of Parliament: the need, stated in the Magna Carta (1215), for taxes to have the consent of the taxed; the custom of summoning to the royal council not just barons but elected representatives of towns and counties; the convenience of dealing with petitions at enlarged meetings of the king's council; and the genius of men such as King Edward I who saw how Parliament could be used to their advantage.

At first, Parliament was not an institution but an event. During the quarrel between King Henry III and his barons, the Oxford Parliament (1258) forced Henry to accept rule by a baronial committee. The barons' leader, Simon de Montfort, summoned representatives of towns to Parliament for the first time in 1265. The so-called Model Parliament of Edward I (1295) contained all the elements of a mature Parliament: bishops and abbots, peers, two knights from each shire, and two representatives from each town.

In the 14th century, Parliament split into two houses, gained control over statutes and taxation, created impeachment (1376), and presided over the abdications of Edward II (1327) and Richard II (1399). Growth continued under the Lancastrian kings (1399-1461) but then fell off, only to begin again in Henry VIII's Reformation Parliament (1529-36). Commons especially gained experience and confidence under Henry and his successors, but was generally subservient to the Crown.

Under the Stuart kings, cooperation changed to conflict, highlighted in 1649 by the overthrow and execution of Charles I and in 1688-89 by the English Revolution, which established parliamentary sovereignty. Beginning in the 18th century, the royal chief executive deferred to a prime minister and cabinet responsible to the House of Commons.

In the 19th century the House of Commons became democratic. The Great Reform Bill of 1832 gave the vote to the middle class for the first time. Acts in 1867 and 1884 enfranchised workingmen, and another in 1885 created equal electoral districts. The Parliament Act of 1911 weakened the House of Lords. Women aged 30 got the vote in 1918, those aged 21 in 1928. In 1969 the voting age for everyone was reduced to 18.

The union of England and Scotland in 1707 brought 16 Scottish peers and 45 representatives into Parliament. That with Ireland in 1800 brought in 32 more peers, 4 of whom were bishops from the church in Ireland, and 100 more representatives, although most withdrew when the Irish Free State was created in 1922. Britain's legislature, sometimes called the Mother of Parliaments, has been the model for legislative assemblies in many other countries.

The Constitution

The English Constitution is the organic law of Great Britain providing for the form and powers of government. It is rooted in historic traditions and principles of liberty, which, in many respects, antedate the promulgation of the Magna Carta in 1215, and which, since the 19th century, have been held to affirm popular sovereignty.

Unlike the U.S. Constitution and most other constitutions, the English constitution is not a systematic written statement of law, but consists of a body of statutory law, customs, and judicial interpretations; it is frequently called a customary or unwritten constitution. As an example, English law makes no provision for so essential a feature of the British government as the cabinet, which originated in the 15th century as an advisory council to the king, and developed, in connection with the rise of representative government, to its present status as the executive branch of the government. Unlike constitutions that make explicit provision for their amendment and are often difficult to change, the English constitution may be changed easily. It may be altered, and in the past it has been altered, through the slow accretion of custom, by an act of Parliament, or by judicial interpretation.

Historians emphasize the antiquity and flexibility of the English constitution. Its uninterrupted development may be traced over a period of more than 900 years, from the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066. Throughout this period it remained adaptable, serving in turn the needs of medieval society and the rule of the bourgeoisie who established representative government and the former British Empire. It is now compatible with such recent liberal measures as comprehensive social insurance and the nationalization of basic industries and the Bank of England.

 

Exercise 1. Answer the following questions:

1) How did the British Parliament start? What influenced its development?

2) What can you say about the so-called Model Parliament of Edward I?

3) What changes did Parliament undergo in the 14th century?

4) What happened to the British Parliament in the 17-18th centuries?

5) Why can we say that in the 19th century the House of Commons became democratic?

6) Why is Britain's legislature sometimes called the Mother of Parliaments?

7) What does the English Constitution provide for?

8) What can you say about historic roots of the Constitution of Great Britain?

9) What does the British constitution differ in from most other constitutions? Give an example from the text.

10) Is it true that the English constitution may be changed easily? Why?

11) How can we characterize the British constitution?

 

Exercise 2. Find in the text English equivalents for the following word combinations:

предшественник

прибегать к чему-либо

выборные представители

созывать Парламент

распадаться

отречься от престола

преемник

свержение

смертная казнь

независимость

ответственный (перед кем-л.), подотчётный (кому-л.)

предоставлять избирательные права

получить избирательное право

законодательная власть

законодательное собрание

обнародование

статутное право

положение Конституции

гибкость

обязательное социальное страхование

 

Exercise 3. Complete the following sentences:

1) Parliament was a device resorted to by the medieval kings to help them … and reflected the idea that … .

2) At first, Parliament was not an institution but … .

3) Representatives of towns were first summoned to Parliament in ... .

4) The so-called Model Parliament of Edward I contained all the elements of a mature Parliament: … .

5) Parliament split into two houses in the … century.

6) Beginning in the 18th century, the royal chief executive deferred to … responsible to … .

7) The Great Reform Bill of 1832 gave the vote to … Acts in 1867, 1884 enfranchised … .

8) Britain's legislature, sometimes called …, has been the model for … in many other countries.

9) The English constitution consists of …; it is frequently called … .

10) The Cabinet originated in the … century as … to the king, and developed to its present status as … .

Exercise 4. Explain the meaning of the following words and word combinations in italics:

1) Parliament’s immediate predecessor was the king's feudal council, the Curia Regis, and before that the Anglo-Saxon witan or witenagemot.

2) In the 13th century, several elements combined to influence the development of Parliament: the need, stated in the Magna Carta (1215), for taxes to have the consent of the taxed; the custom of summoning to the royal council not just barons but elected representatives of towns and counties …

3) Commons especially gained experience and confidence under Henry and his successors, but was generally subservient to the Crown.

4) Under the Stuart kings, cooperation changed to conflict, highlighted in 1649 by the overthrow and execution of Charles I and in 1688-89 by the English Revolution, which established parliamentary sovereignty.

5) Beginning in the 18th century, the royal chief executive deferred to a prime minister and cabinet responsible to the House of Commons.

6) The English Constitution is rooted in historic traditions and principles of liberty, which, in many respects, antedate the promulgation of the Magna Carta in 1215, and which, since the 19th century, have been held to affirm popular sovereignty.

7) Unlike the U.S. Constitution and most other constitutions, the English constitution is not a systematic written statement of law, but consists of a body of statutory law, customs, and judicial interpretations; it is frequently called a customary or unwritten constitution.

8) Unlike constitutions that make explicit provision for their amendment and are often difficult to change, the English constitution may be changed easily.

9) Historians emphasize the antiquity and flexibility of the English constitution.

10) Throughout this period it remained adaptable, serving in turn the needs of medieval society and the rule of the bourgeoisie who established representative government and the former British Empire.

11) It is now compatible with such recent liberal measures as comprehensive social insurance and the nationalization of basic industries and the Bank of England.

Exercise 5. Look up the following words in an English-English dictionary and copy out the meanings:

1) abdication (n.); 2) sovereignty (n.); 3) defer (v.); 4) statutory (adj.).

 

Exercise 6. Fill in the gaps with articles where necessary.

1) … Parliament is one of … oldest and most honored parts of … British government.

2) During … quarrel between … King Henry III and his barons, … Oxford Parliament (1258) forced Henry to accept … rule by … baronial committee.

3) … women aged 30 got … vote in 1918, those aged 21 in 1928.

4) … English Constitution is the organic law of … Great Britain providing for … form and … powers of … government. It is frequently called … customary or unwritten constitution.

5) … English law makes no provision for so essential … feature of … British government as … cabinet, which originated in … 15th century as … advisory council to … king, and developed, in connection with … rise of representative government, to its present status as … executive branch of … government.

 

Exercise 7. Substitute the italicized words and word combinations for their synonyms.

1) Parliament was a device resorted to by the medieval kings to help them in running their governments and reflected the idea that the king should consult with his subjects.

2) In the 14th century, Parliament split into two houses …

3) Growth continued under the Lancastrian kings (1399-1461) but then fell off, only to begin again in Henry VIII's Reformation Parliament (1529-36).

4) Commons especially gained experience and confidence under Henry and his successors, but was generally subservient to the Crown.

5) Under the Stuart kings, cooperation changed to conflict, highlighted in 1649 by the overthrow and execution of Charles I and in 1688-89 by the English Revolution, which established parliamentary sovereignty.

6) Beginning in the 18th century, the royal chief executive deferred to a prime minister and cabinet responsible to the House of Commons.

7) The Great Reform Bill of 1832 gave the vote to the middle class for the first time. Acts in 1867 and 1884 enfranchised workingmen.

Exercise 8. Translate the following sentences into English:

1) Британский Парламент – один из старейших парламентов мира. Его часто называют «матерью всех парламентов», так как законодательные органы многих стран, а особенно стран-членов Британского Содружества, созданы по его образцу.

2) Непосредственным предшественником Парламента являлся древний королевский совет.

3) Стремление знати поставить только под свой контроль королевскую власть вызвало оппозицию среди более широких кругов рыцарства и горожан. Политическим и военным лидером оппозиции выступил граф Симон де Монфор. В 1265 году в Лондоне де Монфором был созван первый парламент, куда наряду с пэрами были приглашены представители от графств и крупных городов.

4) В 14 веке Парламент разделился на две палаты, Палату Лордов и Палату Общин.

5) В 14-16 веках Парламент развивается дальше, но продолжает оставаться подчиненным монарху.

6) В 18 веке монарх начинает считаться с мнением Премьер-министра и его Кабинета, которые отвечают перед Палатой Общин.

7) В 19 веке Палата Общин становится демократически избранным органом. Средний класс, а в последствии и рабочий класс первые получили избирательные права.

8) Отличительной характеристикой британской Конституции является отсутствие какого-либо единого документа, который можно было бы назвать основным законом страны. Более того, не существует даже точного перечня документов, которые бы относились к Конституции. Источниками права являются статуты, судебные прецеденты и конституционные соглашения. При этом стабильность права охраняется обычаем.

9) Конституция Великобритании носит «гибкий» характер, т.е. может легко модифицироваться без прохождения сложной процедуры изменения или дополнения, как в других странах.