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Parliamentary Democracy Parliamentary Evolution
ConstitutionsDistribution of Powers
Parliamentary PrivilegeSelection & Role of the Speaker
Roles of MembersRole of Political Parties
Role of Electoral ProcessElectoral Models
Future of Parliamentary Democracy

Parliamentary Democracy

Australia. "Palmer's Australian Politics: Overview of Australia's Political System"
http://members.dingoblue.net.au/~bdpalmer/institutions/overview.htm

Australia. Parliament of Australia: "The Parliament: An Overview"
http://www.aph.gov.au/parl.htm

Australia. The Samuel Griffith Society: "Parliamentary Democracy in Australia"
http://www.samuelgriffith.org.au/v5chap10.htm

Parliament of Australia. Parliamentary Library Research Paper 23 1999-2000 "Australian Parliamentary Democracy After a Century: What Gains, What Losses?"
http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/rp/1999-2000/2000rp23.htm

Canada. Library of Parliament: "How Canadians Govern Themselves"
http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/process/library/forsey/how-e.htm

Canada. Public Service Commission Institute on Governance. How Government Works. Chapter 2: "What's Up on the Hill?"
http://learnet.gc.ca/eng/lrncentr/online/hgw/how-gov2.htm

India. "Indian Parliament: Introduction"
http://parliamentofindia.nic.in/

New Zealand. The Committee of Former Speakers of the House to the Association of Former Members of Parliament, "Restoring Public Confidence in Parliament"
http://www.mdl.co.nz/readingroom/parliament/execsum.html

South Africa. "Parliament of South Africa: How Our Democracy Works"
http://www.parliament.gov.za/particip/democ.htm

Suite 101.com. "Labour's Great Britain: Remodeling Westminster"
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/european_politics/30521

United Kingdom. "An Introduction to Parliament"
http://www.parliament.uk/parliament/guide/parliamt.htm

National parliaments
http://www.ipu.org/english/parlweb.htm
http://www.polisci.umn.edu/information/parliaments/

"A Concept Paper on Legislatures and Good Governance," based on a paper prepared by John K. Johnson and Robert T. Nakamura for UNDP, July 1999
http://magnet.undp.org/Docs/parliaments/Concept%20Paper%20Revised%20MAGNET.htm

Electric Library Presents Encyclopedia.com. "Parliament"
http://www.encyclopedia.com/printablenew/09855.html

Victorian Electoral Commission. Government
http://www.vec.vic.gov.au/Government/WP_ParliamentarySystem.htm

The Digital Agora. Parliamentary System
http://ace.acadiau.ca/polisci/aa/DigAgora/Glossary/glossaryhtml/psystem.html

Parliamentary Evolution

Australia. Macquarie University: "A Comparison of the Australian, British, and American Political Systems"
http://www.humanities.mq.edu.au/Ockham/y67xan1.html

The Spartacus Internet Encyclopedia "British History,1700-1900: Parliamentary Reform"
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/PRparliament.htm

Parliamentary Reform Act 1867
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/PR1867.htm

1872 Secret Ballot Act
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/PR1872.htm

1884 Reform Act (extended franchaise to working class men in rural areas)
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/PR1884.htm

1911 and 1949 Parliament Acts
http://www.parliament.uk/parliament/guide/parlacts.htm

Qualification of Women Act of 1918
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/W1918.htm

Equal Franchaise Act of 1928
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/W1928.htm

Parliamentary Politics and Reform in South Asia (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal)
http://www.surfsouthasia.org/NEW/SURF/GOV/workpapr/parliam.shtm

Peter Weber, "Labour's Great Britain: Remodelling Westminster"
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/1894/30521

(University College London) The Constitution Unit. "Constitutional Update: House of Lords Reform"
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/constupdate/lordsref.htm

"A House for the Future: Royal Commission on the Reform of the House of Lords"
http://www.official-documents.co.uk/document/cm45/4534/4534.htm

Other Models of Governance

The English Bill of Rights, 1689
http://wwlia.org/uk-billr.htm

South Africa Bill of Rights (1996)
http://www.polity.org.za/govdocs/constitution/saconst02.html

The American Presidential System
The House of Representatives: http://www.house.gov/
The Senate: http://www.senate.gov/

The South African System
http://www.parliament.gov.za/

The Mixed French System (Assemblée nationale and Senate)
http://www.assemblee-nat.fr/

The Israeli Parliamentary System (The Knesset)
http://www.knesset.gov.il/index.html

The French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789)
http://catalog.com/jamesd/french.htm

The United States Bill of Rights (1789)
http://Constitution.by.net/uSA/BillOfRights.html

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (1982)
http://www.pch.gc.ca/ddp-hrd/canada/guide/index_e.shtml

Web sites on national parliaments
http://www.ipu.org/english/parlweb.htm
http://www.polisci.umn.edu/information/parliaments/

Australia. Macquarie University. "A Comparison of the Australian, British, and American Political Systems"
http://www.humanities.mq.edu.au/ockham/y67yan1.html

New Zealand Government Online
http://www.govt.nz/nzgovt/parli.php3

New Zealand Parliament
http://www.parliament.govt.nz/

UNDP. Parliamentary Strengthening Reference Manual. "Governing Systems and Executive-Legislative Relations"
http://mirror.undp.org/magnet/docs/parliaments/governing%20system.htm

UNDP. Parliamentary Strengthening Reference Manual. "Legislative Chambers: Unicameral or Bicameral"
http://mirror.undp.org/magnet/Docs/parliaments/Legislative%20Chambers.htm

Constitutions

The Magna Carta, 1215
http://wwlia.org/uk-magna.htm
http://catalog.com/jamesd/magna.htm

The English Bill of Rights, 1689
http://wwlia.org/uk-billr.htm

Privy Council. Intergovernmental Affairs. "A Constitutional File and the Unity File."
http://www.pco-bcp.gc.ca/aia/default.asp?Language=E&Page=consfile

Matthew Hale: The History of the Common Law of England, 1713
http://socserv2.socsci.mcmaster.ca/~econ/ugcm/3ll3/hale/common

Nelson Political Science: The Constitution of Canada
http://polisci.nelson.com/constitution.html

Maton, William F. "Canadian Constitutional Documents: A Legal History"
http://www.solon.org/Constitutions/Canada/English/index.html

Library of Parliament. Parliamentary Research Branch. "Constitutional Activity from Patriation to Charlottetown (1980-1992)"
http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/library/PRBpubs/bp406-e.htm

Constitutional Law in Australia
http://www.constitutional-law.net/australia.html

Constitutional Law in South Africa
http://www.constitutional-law.net/safrica.html

Web site on constitutions around the world
http://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/law/index.html

The Human Rights Directory: Commonwealth Constitutions
http://www.echr.net/const/

Upper Houses

United Kingdom. "An Introduction to Parliament"
http://www.parliament.uk/parliament/guide/parliamt.htm

The Parliament of Scotland
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/

Legislation of Scotland
http://www.scotland-legislation.hmso.gov.uk/

The National Assembly for Wales
http://www.wales.gov.uk/

Legislation of Wales
http://www.wales-legislation.hmso.gov.uk/

Northern Ireland Assembly
http://www.ni-assembly.gov.uk/

Legislation of Northern Ireland
http://www.northernireland-legislation.hmso.gov.uk/

The Senate of the Bahamas
http://www.senat.fr/senatsdumonde/english/bahamas.html

Parliament in India: Rajya Sabha
http://alfa.nic.in/

Parliament of Australia: Senate
http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/index.htm

Distribution of Powers

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. "Role of the Opposition: Workshop Report"
http://www.comparlas.co.uk/opposition/report.htm

Institute for International Economic Studies (IIES). "Separation of Powers and Accountability: Towards a Formal Approach to Comparative Politics"
http://www.iies.su.se/ftpserver/sempaper/pdf/tp612a4.pdf

Iowa General Assembly, Legislative Service Bureau. "Legislative Guide to Separation of Powers"
http://www.legis.state.ia.us/Central/LSB/Guides/lgseppwr.htm

"Separation of Powers" (Queensland Parliamentary Association)
http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/education/history/separpow.htm

"Separation of Powers" (University of New England)
http://www.une.edu.au/arts/Politics/separati.htm

"Separation of Powers and Political Accountability" by Torsten Persson, Gérard Roland and Guido Tabellini
http://www.iies.su.se/data/home/perssont/papers/sepabs.htm

South Africa: Separation of Powers (Constitutional Court of SA)
http://www.polity.org.za/govdocs/constitution/cert.html

Canada. Cooper v. Canada (Human Rights Commission)
http://www.lexum.umontreal.ca/csc-scc/en/pub/1996/vol3/html/1996scr3_0854.html

List of Ministerial Responsibilities (UK Cabinet Office)
http://www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/central/2000/lmr9911frp.pdf
http://www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/1998/memo/

Government of Jamaica, Cabinet Office
http://www.cabinet.gov.jm/organization.htm

New Zealand Cabinet Office Manual
http://www.dpmc.govt.nz/cabinet/manual/contents.html

India. The Executive Branch
http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?eu=121165&tocid=46432#46432.toc

"The Separation of Powers: Doctrine and Practice" by Graham Spindler (This article originally appeared in Legal Date, March 2000)
http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/PROD/WEB/PHWEBCONTENT.NSF/Home?OpenFrameset

Parliament of Australia. Senate. "Westminster Democracy and the Separation of Powers: Can They Co-exist?"
http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/pubs/pops/Pop%2026/Pop%2026%20-%20Chapter%206.pdf

"Shifting Control? Aspects of the Executive-Parliamentary Relationship"
http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp2000/rp00-092.pdf

Parliament of Australia. Parliamentary Library. "Power: Relations between the Parliament and the Executive"
http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/rp/2000-01/01RP14.htm

Parliamentary Privilege

Parliament of Australia. House of Representatives Factsheet No. 5: "Parliamentary Privilege"
http://www.aph.gov.au/house/info/factsht/fs05.htm

Parliament of Australia. Parliamentary Library Research Paper 1 2000-01: "Parliamentary Privileges"
http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/rp/2000-01/01RP01.htm

Australia. Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory: Information Paper No. 7: "Parliamentary Privilege"
http://www.nt.gov.au/lant/pub/ip7.shtml

Interparliamentary Union (IPU): CANADA: "Status of Parliament Members"
http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/2056.htm

Parliament of Tasmania. Library Fact Sheet No. F3: "Parliamentary Privilege and Bar of the House"
http://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/TPL/f3.htm

UK Parliament. House of Commons. House of Lords. "Parliamentary Privilege-First Report"
http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/jt/jtpriv.htm

New Brunswick Broadcasting Co. v. Nova Scotia
http://www.lexum.umontreal.ca/csc-scc/en/pub/1993/vol1/html/1993scr1_0319.html

Parliament of Australia. Senate. "Parliamentary Privilege: The Meaning of Parliamentary Priviege" Brief No. 11
http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/pubs/briefs/brief11.htm

India. Rajya Sabha. Parliamentary Privileges
http://alfa.nic.in/rs/rajya/19/94/i5/94I50901.htm

House of Representatives Practice, 3rd. ed. "Parliamentary Privilege"
http://www.aph.gov.au/house/pubs/horpract/chap.245.htm

The Selection and Role of the Speaker

Parliamentary Speaker

Parliament of Australia: House of Representatives: Factsheet No. 3
http://www.aph.gov.au/house/info/factsht/fs03.htm

Parliament of Tasmania: Parliamentary Library Fact Sheet No. H4
http://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/tpl/h4.htm

UK Parliament. The Speaker of the Commons
http://www.parliament.uk/parliament/guide/speaker.htm

UK Parliament. House of Commons Information Factscheet M2.
"The Speaker" (November 2000)
http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/fs21.pdf

Election of a Commons Speaker (2nd edition)
http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp2001/rp01-030.pdf

The Independence of the Speaker
http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/rn/1997-98/98rn38.htm

Limits to Rights

Parliament of Australia. House of Representatives Factsheet No. 17: "Protection of Persons Referred to in the House"
http://www.aph.gov.au/house/info/factsht/fs17.htm

Parliament of Australia. Library Research Paper 2 1998-99: "A Code of Conduct for Parliamentarians"
http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/rp/1998-99/99rp02.htm

UK Parliament: Disciplinary and Penal Powers of the House of Commons
http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/fs62.pdf

Roles of Members

Parliament of Australia. House of Representatives Factsheet No. 4: Committees
http://www.aph.gov.au/house/info/factsht/fs04.htm

Parliament of Australia. House of Representatives Factsheet No. 6: Opportunities for Private Members
http://www.aph.gov.au/house/info/factsht/fs06.htm

Parliament of Australia. House of Representatives Factsheet No. 7: Making Laws
http://www.aph.gov.au/house/info/factsht/fs07.htm

Parliament of Australia. House of Representatives Factsheet No. 15: The Work of a Member of Parliament
http://www.aph.gov.au/house/info/factsht/fs15.htm

Parliament of Australia. Library Research Note 50 1995-96: Parliamentarians, Outside Employment and Outside Income
http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/rn/1995-96/96rn50.htm

Library of Parliament. Parliamentary Research Branch. "Members of the House of Commons: Their Role"
http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/library/PRBpubs/bp56-e.htm

Parliament of Western Australia. Commission on Government. Elected Officials
http://www.wa.gov.au/cog/html/Report3/report3/c7s1.html

UNDP. Parliamentary Strengthening Reference Manual. "Internal Organization of the Legislative Branch" (February 2000)
http://magnet.undp.org/docs/parliaments/notes/Organization%20of%20Legislatures%20.htm

UNDP. Parliamentary Strengthening Reference Manual. "The Legislature and Constituency Relations" (February 2000)
http://magnet.undp.org/docs/parliaments/notes/Constituency%20Relations%205%20.htm

Role of Political Parties

Center for the Study of Democracy, UC Irvine: "Do Parties Matter?"
http://www.democ.uci.edu/democ/papers/sinclair.htm

Center for the Study of Democracy, UC Irvine: "Women's Representation in Parliament: The Role of Political Parties"
http://www.democ.uci.edu/democ/papers/caul.htm

United States. Dept. of State International Information Programs: "United States Political Parties"
http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/politics/govworks/na24.htm

United States. Dept. of State International Information Programs: "Political Parties Play Vital Role in Democratic Societies"
http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/politics/govworks/na31.htm

UNDP. Parliamentary Strengthening Reference Manual. "Political Parties in the Legislature"
http://magnet.undp.org/docs/parliaments/partysystem1.htm

Political Parties Around the World
http://polisci.nelson.com/introparty.html

Role of Electoral Process

Australia: Australian Electoral Commission
http://www.aec.gov.au/

Canada. Elections Canada
http://www.elections.ca/content.asp?section=gen&document=index&dir=bkg&lang=e&textonly=false

Democracy Design Forum. A Review of Consensual Electoral Systems
http://www.democdesignforum.demon.co.uk/ConsensualESs.html

Democracy Design Forum. Two Electoral Systems for Westminster
http://www.democdesignforum.demon.co.uk/TwoESsWestm.html

Electoral Systems/Sistemas Electorales (Political Database of the Americas)
http://www.georgetown.edu/LatAmerPolitical/Elecdata/elecdata.html

Elections Around the World
http://www.agora.stm.it/elections/home.htm

IDEA: International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance
http://www.idea.int/
http://www.aceproject.org/main/english/pc/pcb/default.htm

Elections Commission of India. Elections India
http://www.eci.gov.in

Latin America and the Caribbean "Calendar of Elections/Calendario de Elecciones"
http://www.georgetown.edu/LatAmerPolitical/Elecdata/elecalen.html

New Zealand. Elections New Zealand
http://www.elections.govt.nz/elections/index.html

South Africa. Elections
http://www.gov.za/elections/

United Kingdom. British Politics Page-Elections
http://www.club.demon.co.uk/Politics/elect.html

World Policy Institute. "Democracy: Electoral Systems"
http://worldpolicy.org/americas/democracy/democracy.html

"Ballots not bullets: Testing the Consociational theories of ethnic conflict, electoral systems and democratization"
http://ksghome.harvard.edu/~.pnorris.shorenstein.ksg/acrobat/bullets.pdf

Electoral Models

Canada. Elections Canada: "Review of Political Systems"
http://www.elections.ca/content.asp?section=loi&document=index&dir=sys&lang=e&textonly=false

International Committee for Research into Elections and Representative Democracy (ICORE). "The Comparative Study of Electoral Systems"
http://www.umich.edu/~nes/cses/papers/stimulus.htm

International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES). Administration and Cost of Elections (ACE) Project: "Electoral Systems"
http://www.aceproject.org/main/english/es/default.htm

PR Library. "Readings in Proportional Representation"
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/polit/damy/prlib.htm

Richard Kimber's Political Science Resources. "Elections and Electoral Systems Around the World"
http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/
http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/election.htm

United Kingdom. Electoral Reform Society: "Voting Systems"
http://www.electoral-reform.org.uk

United Kingdom Parliament. Library Research Papers 1998: "Voting Systems: The Government's Proposals"
http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp98/rp98-113.pdf

United Kingdom Parliament. Library Research Papers: "Voting Systems: The Jenkins Report"
http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp98/rp98-112.pdf

Center for Voting and Democracy
http://www.fairvote.org/

Represent Domocracy
http://www.represent.org.uk/

Coalition Government and Satisfaction with Democracy: An analysis of New Zealand's reaction to Proportional Representation
http://www.nzes.org/papers/wpsa_2000r.pdf

Twilight of Westminster: Electoral Reform and its Consequences
http://ksghome.harvard.edu/~.pnorris.shorenstein.ksg/acrobat/apsa2000bpg.pdf

Women's Prepresentation and Electoral Systems
http://ksghome.harvard.edu/~.pnorris.shorenstein.ksg/acrobat/womenele.pdf

Proportional Represenation Society of Australia
http://www.cs.mu.oz.au/~lee/prsa/

The Future of Parliamentary Democracy

Berner Oberland News. "Can 'computer shocks' activate democracy?"
http://www.beo-news.ch/nov97/Hug.htm

Cyber-Democracy: Truth or Fiction (Kirsten Hall)
http://hoshi.cic.sfu.ca/~cm/issue5/schreck.html

Electronic Democracy Sites World-wide
http://www.naturespace.co.nz/ed/edwww.htm

European Tele-work Development Initiative. Tele-cooperation: Enhancing the Democratic Process
http://www.eto.org.uk/etd/policy/DEMOC01.htm

European Commission. "The Future of Parliamentary Democracy: Transition and Challenge in European Governance"
http:/europa.eu.int/comm/governance/docs/doc3_en.pdf

G8 Democracy and Government Online Services Publication
http://www.statskontoret.se/gol-democracy

G8 GOL (Government On-line)
http://www.governments-online.org/

Democracy Forum. Archived Discussion: Electronic Democracy
http://www.democracyforum.org.uk/edemocracy.asp

Hansard Society: Promoting Effective Parliamentary Democracy
http://www.hansard-society.org.uk

Hansard Society: E-democracy programme
http://www.hansard-society.org.uk/eDemocracy.htm

Internet Tools for Politics
http://www.politicsonline.com/

The E-Democracy E-Book by Steve Clift
http://www.publicus.net/ebook/

New Zealand. Electronic Democracy
http://www.naturespace.co.nz/ed/

Sweden. Uppsala University: "The Evolution of Parliaments and Societies in Europe: Challenges and Prospects"
http://www.soc.uu.se/staff/texts/tb_parla.html

Union of International Associations. The Challenge of Cyber-Parliaments and Statutory Virtual Assemblies
http://www.uia.org/uiadocs/cyberass.htm

United Kingdom. Democracy, Community Involvement and Campaigning
http://www.communities.org.uk/resource/democ.htm

United States. The League of Women Voters' Democracy Network
http://www.democracynet.org/

United States. Minnesota: e-democracy
http://www.e-democracy.org/

University of London Seminar. Political Parties and Trade Unions in the Electronic Age. Transcript of Proceedings. "Political Parties and the Challenge to Democracy: From Steam-Engines to Techno-Populism"
http://www.urbsoc.org/guides/ukseminar/Lipow-Seyd.html

World Wide Web as a Universal Interface to Government Services. (Centre for Technology in Government, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1998)
http://www.ctg.albany.edu/projects/inettb/univ/itttoc.html

Center for the Study of Technology and Society: Government and Politics
http://www.tecsoc.org/govpol/govpol.htm