It appears that the small island nation of Iceland led the way
Iceland is generally held to be the oldest Parliament, starting in 930. The oldest continuous Parliament is the Tynwald (Isle of Man), which started in 979, although its roots go further back. In 1188 Spain held one of the first parliament followed by the Netherlands in 1581.
In the UK the Union of Parliaments 1707, brought about a more modern parliament, which limited the power of the monarch.
After the Union of the Parliaments in Britain – which dissolved both the Parliament of Scotland the Parliament of England under James Stuart (VI Scotland and I England) to create a parliament of Great Britain, which sat in London. The modern concept of parliamentary government emerged in the Kingdom of Great Britain (1707 - 1800 ) and in Sweden during the Age of Liberty (1718 - 1722).
**Universal Suffrage
Suffrage – is the right to vote in public, political elections.
Britain was not one of the first countries to offer votes for all men, and later all women.
France - 1792 suffrage for all men (in 1850 excluded criminals and homeless)
America - 1856 Voting rights all white males, and suffrage women 1920
New Zealand 1893 – full suffrage and votes for women. First self-governing country.
Finland - 1906 – suffrage all men and women (women could also stand for election)
UK – 1918 – male suffrage, all men the vote
1928 – all women the vote.
Voting Injustice
In 1969 UK closed a loophole where 7% got 2 votes!
Also in 1969 Northern Ireland votes for Catholics after the civil rights movement. (under Harold Wilson)
In the US, some states exercise shared sovereignty to offer citizens the opportunity to write, propose, and vote on referendums.
Referendums in the UK are rare. In the UK we have a passive, non interactive democracy.
and we have too large, impersonal council areas.
