Collecting fifteen essays by some of the world's most respected scholars and political theorists, Legislatures offers the first substantial anthology of original writings on this important topic. The volume spans three centuries of political thought, presenting selections from Montesquieu, Bagehot, and Bryce--three scholar-politicians who established the model for legislative studies--as well as works by such contemporary pioneers as Bernard Crick, Anthony King, Samuel Beer, and Nelson Polsby. The volume is divided into five thematic sections, each preceded by an introduction explaining the significance of the writings that follow; the final section includes extracts from official publications that have had a practical impact upon legislative development.