Concept

Bicameralism

Overview

legislature with two chambers

Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).

Possible passages

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The power, however, of fixing their own quorum has been avowed, and a precedent set. From forty it may be reduced to four, and from four to one; from a house to a committee, from a committee to a chairman or speaker, and thus an oligarchy or monarchy be substituted under forms supposed to be regular. "Omnia mala exempla ex bonis orta sunt; sed ubi imperium ad ignaros aut minus bonos pervenit, novum illud exemplum ab…
Thomas Jefferson, The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 8
Close in meaning to Bicameralism; the term itself is not named.
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The historical antecedents of England render it all but certain that, unless in the improbable case of a violent subversion of the existing Constitution, any second Chamber which could possibly exist would have to be built on the foundation of the House of Lords. It is out of the question to think practically of abolishing that assembly, to replace it by such a Senate as I have sketched or by any other; but there…
John Stuart Mill, Considerations on Representative Government
Close in meaning to Bicameralism; the term itself is not named.
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In the structure of our legislatures, we think experience has proved the benefit of subjecting questions to two separate bodies of deliberants; but in constituting these, natural right has been mistaken, some making one of these bodies, and some both, the representatives of property instead of persons; whereas the double deliberation might be as well obtained without any violation of true principle, either by…
Thomas Jefferson, Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies, From the Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Volume 4
Close in meaning to Bicameralism; the term itself is not named.
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Related ideas

Opposing perspectives

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Place in the tradition

Part of American philosophy.

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