The Power Struggle between the House of Lords and the House of Commons over the Legislative Supremacy at the Turn of the 20th Century

Abstract

At the turn of the 20^th century, the Palace of Westminster became the witness to one of the most significant and long-lasting power struggles between the Houses of Parliament regarding the influence of each chamber on the implementation of the legislative function in the parliamentary procedure. This paper, written as part of broader studies on the internal transformations of the British Parliament, presents the social and political background of the supremacy war that was openly waged between two political forces, i.e., the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party, reinforced by their respective tactical allies. An attempt is also made to discuss the legal result of the dispute, which notably came in the form of “The Parliament Act 1911”, as well as to trace – based on the current state of knowledge and the preserved shorthand notes and transcripts of parliamentary speeches – the general climate of this conflict and its social and political contours.