上议院不再是保守与不合时宜的代名词,他们在英国政治中扮演着日渐重要的角色。许多民主国家的立法机关由两个独立的议会组成,其中一个通常被看作是“更民主”的,如英国的下议院、美国的众议院、德国的联邦议院。议员通过每四至五年定期的选举产生,响应“人民”即时的情绪。在议会民主制国家,通常这个议会决定政府的构成。 The House of Lords is no longer synonymous with conservatism or outdatedness, and they play an increasingly important role in British politics. In many democracies, the legislature is made up of two separate parliaments, one of which is often seen as “more democratic,” such as the English House of Commons, the House of Representatives, and the Bundestag in Germany. Members respond to “people’s” immediate emotions through regular elections every four to five years. In parliamentary democracies, this parliament usually determines the constitution of the government.