Compare the Difference Between Similar Terms

Difference Between Bicameral and Unicameral

Bicameral vs Unicameral

Bicameral and Unicameral are two types of legislature that show some difference between them in terms of their functioning and characteristics. Bicameral legislature has an upper house. On the other hand, unicameral legislature does not have an upper house. This is a major difference between the two words.

The duty of the upper house of the bicameral legislature is to revise, improve, and amend the laws normally with less party pressure. All the activities concerned with bicameral legislature are normally carried out in a calm atmosphere. Another way of defining both bicameral and unicameral types of legislature is that bicameral has 2 houses, whereas unicameral legislature has only one house.

Their names are derived from the two words, ‘bi’ and ‘uni’ meaning ‘two’ and ‘one’ respectively. A unicameral legislature has a single body of law makers. On the other hand, a bicameral legislature has two bodies of law makers. This is another important difference between the two words. One of the best examples of bicameral type of legislature is the congress of the United States of America.

The Congress of the United States of America has one body comprising of the senate and the other body comprising of the house. In the same way, the English Parliament is also bicameral in nature. One house of the English Parliament is the house and the Lords and the other house of the English Parliament is the Commons.

Sometimes, the difference between bicameral and unicameral is defined in terms of the parties. When you have two parties that are usually fighting in office it is bicameral. On the other hand, when you have a party dominated office either at the right wing or the left wing then the office can be called as unicameral. These are the differences between bicameral and unicameral.