Posted by Chester Morton / Wednesday, 23 November 2016 / No comments
The advantages of a Unicameral Legislature
Definition of unicameral legislature
A unicameral legislature refers to
the type of legislature in which there is only one house or chamber. In other
words, all the legislators can be found in one house.
ADVANTAGES
It is democratic
One advantage of a unicameral
legislature is that it is democratic. Democratic tenets postulate that people
who make laws for the masses must be elected in a free and fair election. Members
of a unicameral chamber are directly elected by the people. Therefore, it is
democratic.
Less expensive
One of the advantages of a unicameral
legislature is that it is not expensive to operate. Salaries and emoluments of
members are paid to members of only one chamber. This is buttressed by the fact
that there is no second chamber so no further expenses are made.
Speeds up passage of laws
In a unicameral legislature, bills
are considered by the only chamber that exists so a lot of time is saved. There
is no need for the consideration of a second chamber and therefore further
delays are avoided.
Ensures absence of conflicts
In a bicameral legislature, some form
of rivalry is present and unavoidable as the two chambers struggle for superiority.
This kind of conflict is absent in a unicameral legislation.
Location of responsibility
The citizens are able to determine
exactly who is responsible for legislation. This is because there is no second
chamber that may share the responsibility of making laws with the first chamber
Applicable in times of emergency
In times of crisis, matters can be
dealt with more expeditiously than when there is second chamber. For example,
when there a war situation, the only chamber available can move into action
where legislation is needed to handle the situation.
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
1. a. What is a unicameral
legislature? [2 marks]
b. Highlight five advantages of a unicameral legislature. [10 marks]
