11

1

over for something else unless the other alternative is

2

clearly demonstrated to be superior; in other words, you

3

have a system that should be continued.

4

Now, as I mentioned before, these claims are

5

generally made. There is no documentation for them that

6

I have found.

7

Now, the unicameralists make their attack on

8

three grounds. First, they deny practically every claim

9

that is made for bicameralism. They make a plea for their

10

own system on its merits and then they try to refute

11

criticisms levied against the unicameral system.

12

On the argument that bicameralism provides a

13

check on popular wishes and popular passions, the argument

14

here is made on a philosophical ground, that a legislature

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is set up to represent the wishes of the majority of the

16

population and a check on that wish, just to have a check,

17

is undesirable; that this is undemocratic and that a check,

18

as such, is not something we should want. A check, if it

19

is to be there, should be to protect the interests of

20

someone in the society, some vested rights -- I won't say

21

vested rights — some interests and, if we want to provide