Politics and Parliament - What's it all about?

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Politics and Parliament - What's it all about?

Introduction

Parliament, legislative or deliberative assembly. The original idea of parliament was of a place where talking took place. The name derives from the French verb parler-to talk. In practice, talking is only one, and now not necessarily the most important, of the functions which parliaments perform. The terms used to describe parliament also vary: congress, legislature, and assembly being among the more common.

Origins

The roots of parliaments are many and diverse. The oldest surviving parliament is generally regarded as being the Althing in Iceland, but a break in its function in the 19th century means that the longest continuous parliament is the Tynwald of the Isle of Man. Among the oldest is the British Parliament, which has probably been the most influential in developing the traditions of parliamentary government. Its roots lie with the Anglo-Saxon Witenagemot and the advisory council of the Norman kings, the Curia Regis. As a recognizable parliament, however, it goes back at least to the mid-13th century.

Development

Parliaments in England were called originally because monarchs needed help with raising money. The tradition quickly developed that before any taxation was