The emergence and development of parliament in England and Turkey

In this study, the sources of legitimacy of the parliament in England and Turkey were investigated and the effects of the difference between the sources of legitimacy on the Turkish constitutional movements were examined. The emergence of parliament in England can be traced back to the 5th century. The kings were not completely independent in decision-making both during the Anglo-Saxon period and after the Norman invasion. In addition to this they had to consult the parliament in taking some important decisions such as taxation. The parliament, which included elected representatives alongside the aristocracy, began to meet regularly from the end of the 13th century. The king's inability to have absolute sovereignty and the need for consent and thus representation in taxation constituted the sources of legitimacy of the parliament. In order to understand the emergence of the parliament in Turkey, it is necessary to examine the modernization movements that started in the 19th century. In this century, after the state's weak state was noticed, modernization movements started quickly. With the declaration of The first Ottoman Constitution of 1876, the constitutional monarchy was experienced for the first time. After the First World War, when none of the powers holding the political power took action against the invasions, the period of local congresses started. Thanks to the national resistance movement that managed to unite these congresses under a single roof, the Turkish Grand National Assembly was established in 1920 and the principle of national sovereignty was accepted by the Constitution of 1921. The fact that the emergence of the parliament in Turkey is seen as a necessary element of modernization and that the main concern of the modernization process is "saving the state" has deeply affected the constitutional developments and the relations between the legislature and the executive. Keywords: Parliament, Sources of legitimacy, House of Commons, Constitutionalism