History

Parliament was initially an event, not an institution. Representatives from towns were officially summoned for the first time in 1265. In the 14th century Parliament split into two houses, gained control over statutes and taxation, and presided over the abdications of Edward II and Richard II. Under the Stuart kings, cooperation between Parliament and the Crown changed to conflict. This was highlighted in 1649 by the overthrow and execution of Charles I, and in 1688 and 1689 by the English Revolution, which established parliamentary sovereignty. In the 19th century the House of Commons became democratic, as the Great Reform Bill of 1832 gave voting rights to the middle class for the first time. Later acts broadened the electorate and created equal electoral districts. The Parliament Act of 1911 weakened the House of Lords.

Parliamentary System of government consists of a legislature (parliament) and a Cabinet. A prime minister or premier heads the Cabinet, which is chosen from the parliament and stays in office as long as it is supported by a majority of the representatives.

Partnership for Peace (PFP), program established in 1994 to strengthen relations between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), an alliance of 16 Western nations, and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. In July 1991 the Warsaw Pact, a defense alliance between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and its Eastern European satellites, dissolved. Several Eastern European states then requested membership in NATO, which responded by creating the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC) in December.

The PFP was created within the framework of NACC to allow those countries to develop a closer relationship with NATO. PFP participants may eventually become full NATO members. Participants promise to respect existing borders and settle disputes peacefully. They also pledge to share defense and security information with NATO, maintain democratic control of their military, and be ready to participate in peacekeeping operations.

Passport, document of nationality and identity, used for purposes of identification and protection when traveling abroad, usually granted only to persons who are nationals of the issuing country. It is also a formal permit authorizing the holder to leave and return to the nation of which he or she is a subject. The practice of granting passports developed from the right of nations to withhold from foreigners the privilege of transit through their territory. In the United States, passports are issued only by the Department of State, and no distinction is made between native-born and naturalized citizens. A passport for the head of a family may cover children under 13 years old if they are traveling together. A U.S. passport is issued for a period of ten years and may be renewed upon expiration.

Peacekeeping, nonbelligerent use of military force to assist warring parties in reaching a settlement. Traditional peacekeeping missions try to maintain peace while the parties negotiate. Historically, peacekeeping is a relatively new practice that has usually been organized under the United Nations (UN). The UN has three qualifications for peacekeeping missions: consent of the disputants, support from the international community, and the deployment of impartial forces. The peacekeeping forces are lightly armed for self-defense.

The UN's first peacekeeping effort was sending observers to the Middle East in 1948 to supervise the truce negotiated after the Arab attack on Israel earlier that year. Over the years the UN has undertaken numerous other peacekeeping missions. In conducting these missions, it has confronted several problems: the financial strain of the missions, the tendency for operations to stagnate while the underlying dispute drags on, and the UN's lack of enforcement power (if the disputants do not respect UN decisions, it cannot require compliance).

Plebiscite ['plebIs(a)It] is a vote of the people. The term has come to mean the vote of the people of a certain place to choose the nation that will govern them. Plebiscite, vote by the electorate of a nation, region, or locality on a specific question. Since the time of the French Revolution (1789-1799), plebiscites have been used to determine the wishes of an electorate with regard to the question of sovereignty. Plebiscites were used as democratic instruments after the resurgence of nationalistic sentiments in Europe in 1848. They played a prominent role, for example, in the independence and unification of Italy. In 1905 an important plebiscite resulted in the separation of Norway from Sweden. More recently, plebiscites have been used by African peoples on the issue of national sovereignty.

Political Party is an organized group of people who control or seek to control a government. Political Parties, organizations that mobilize voters on behalf of a common set of interests, concerns, and goals. They formulate political and policy agendas, select candidates, conduct election campaigns, and monitor the work of their elected representatives. Political parties link citizens and the government, providing a way for people to have a voice in their government.