With its wealth, its place, and its leisure, the House of Lords would, on the very surface of the matter, rule us far more than it does if it had not secret defects which hamper and weaken it.
Bagehot argues that the House of Lords has the potential to rule effectively, but is hindered by hidden flaws.
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More from Walter Bagehot
Thirdly, we see why so few nations have made rapid advance, and how many have become stationary.
The United States could not have become monarchical, even if the Constitutional Convention had decreed it, even if the component States had ratified it.
The power of free interchange of ideas being wanting, the ideas themselves were barren.
The nation then selected the English policy, but the Crown chose the English Ministers.
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