House of Lords reform: a history, The origins to 1937: proposals deferred, Book 1, The origins to 1911

One of the peculiarities of British history is the development of a constitution headed by the Crown and the two Houses of Parliament. This system emerged to become a balance of democracy, efficiency and moderation that became the admiration of the world. The contribution of the House of Lords to this balance is all too often overlooked. In this richly documented two-volume work, the author offers a detailed examination of the Lords' constitutional position and the predicament they faced as the Commons increasingly championed popular rule. With a landowning membership based on the hereditary p