Adding Value? the Role of Second Chambers

In the study of legislatures, little attention is given to the second chambers of bicameral parliaments. We know something about some second chambers, most notably the US Senate, but relatively little is known about second chambers as a particular species of institution. To some extent, this is attributable to their perceived subordinate status. They are second chambers. In bicameral systems, reference to ‘the legislature’ is often taken as referring to the first chamber. In the United Kingdom, Parliament and the House of Commons are often taken as synonymous terms. The same applies in Ireland with the Dail and in India with the Lok Sabha. There is substantial literature on the US Senate, but literature on second chambers as such is relatively sparse. Indeed, it is only in recent years that we have been able to get a clear idea of how pervasive, or scarce, second chambers are. This paper addresses the purpose of second chambers. As we shall see, they are essentially a minority preference. That preference is marked in federal states. Most legislatures are unicameral. For any constitution-makers, especially in unitary states, what would be the benefit of crafting a bicameral legislature?