The Elements of Politics

Henry Sidgwick

Chapter 2, Footnote #07
This omnipotence but recent


It may be observed that the legal view of the omnipotence of Parliament, now generally accepted, was not completely reached till a comparatively late period of English history: even so late as the eighteenth century we find---not merely in the vague generalities of the writers of law-books, but even in the more particular dicta of judges---the recognition of legal principles limiting the legislative power of Parliament. Thus Holt affirms that ``if an Act of Parliament should ordain that the same person should be party and judge, it would be a void Act of Parliament''.


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Elempol, Chapter 2 Fundamental Conceptions of Politics