07-06-2012, 11:41 PM
Interesting info Justin, but the writer leaves out a bit of info. There are a lot more existing unicameral political systems in existence than just the faulted ones he points out. From Wikipedia:
"Approximately half of the sovereign states are presently unicameral, including both the most populous (the People's Republic of China) and the least populous (the Vatican City).
Many subnational entities have unicameral legislatures. These include Nebraska, Guam and the Virgin Islands in the United States, Hong Kong, the Australian states and territories of Queensland, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory, all of the provinces and territories in Canada, all of the German Bundesländer, all of the Italian Regioni and all of the Spanish Autonomous Communities.
In the United Kingdom, the devolved Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales, Northern Ireland Assembly, and London Assembly are also unicameral.
Almost all city legislatures are also unicameral in the sense that the city councils are not divided into two chambers. Until the turn of the 20th century, bicameral city councils were common in the United States"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unicameralism
As Wikipedia points out, it is not all that uncommon for a country like PNG to start out as unicameral as it saves costs and may help it get started easier. It's easier to make decisions etc and move in a direction, then possibly evolve later as the political system "matures". PNG is in that process and hopefully O'Neill can be a leader that gets them headed in the right direction.
"Approximately half of the sovereign states are presently unicameral, including both the most populous (the People's Republic of China) and the least populous (the Vatican City).
Many subnational entities have unicameral legislatures. These include Nebraska, Guam and the Virgin Islands in the United States, Hong Kong, the Australian states and territories of Queensland, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory, all of the provinces and territories in Canada, all of the German Bundesländer, all of the Italian Regioni and all of the Spanish Autonomous Communities.
In the United Kingdom, the devolved Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales, Northern Ireland Assembly, and London Assembly are also unicameral.
Almost all city legislatures are also unicameral in the sense that the city councils are not divided into two chambers. Until the turn of the 20th century, bicameral city councils were common in the United States"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unicameralism
As Wikipedia points out, it is not all that uncommon for a country like PNG to start out as unicameral as it saves costs and may help it get started easier. It's easier to make decisions etc and move in a direction, then possibly evolve later as the political system "matures". PNG is in that process and hopefully O'Neill can be a leader that gets them headed in the right direction.