The Western democracies have gradually developed their legislative institutions over many centuries. Today the Soviet Union is building its own powerful legislature. Perhaps a look at the Western experience will be of interest to Soviet citizens who are currently thinking about how to make their own legislature an effective part of the democratic process.

Of course the Soviet Union is quite different from the Western democracies in many ways, including not only its political system, but also its economic system, its multinational character, and its social and cultural history, and the Western experience cannot be applied mechanically to such a different setting. But precisely because the Soviet Union is undertaking such bold experiments in restructuring, concrete experiences of others might be useful in suggesting ideas about legislative procedures, competitive elections, constituency relationships, and social norms.

Legislatures were originally developed in Britain, and later in France, because the kings constantly found themselves short of money. After trying many methods of raising money by command, they eventually realized that they would have to attain the support of broader and broader segments of the society.