The Senate is one of several top management bodies in the country that deals with personnel appointments, political investigations, and the determination of domestic and foreign policy. The state apparatuses of our time contain their own versions of this institution in Russia, the USA, Italy, as well as France, Spain, Belgium, Kazakhstan, the Czech Republic, Poland, Australia, Colombia and many others. Often this body is called differently - the upper house of parliament (legislative assembly).
Definition
Senators are officials in elected positions in the institution of the same name. However, in some countries of the modern democratic system, this term is commonly referred to as branches that are part of the highest judicial instances.
To determine what the word "senator" means, you must turn to the Latin sources of this expression. In the ancient language, now not used in colloquial speech, there is the word "senatus". It defines a group, a gathering of older people, and, in turn, comes from “senex,” which means “old man.” The very origin of the term is closely connected with one of the forms of social structure where the power belonged to those tribal elders that were later referred to as senators. This went on for about a thousand years during the existence of Ancient Rome. Having first appeared in that old era, the idea of the Senate as a political institution was raised by many countries over a significant historical period up to the present day.
First senate
However, now and in antiquity, senators are different officials. Then they were considered representatives of the upper class. His title was lifelong. The emperor had the power to appoint people to these posts, and they transferred their position by inheritance. With the establishment of the republic around the 6th century BC. e. the senate arose from a council of elders representing the patrician clan. Along with other state formations, he became a significant part of public life. It included former magistrates for life, which meant a concentration of political forces and the experience of Rome.
Senators carried out preliminary consideration of bills, led military affairs, determined foreign policy, finances, took care of state property, supervised religious cults, and declared a state of emergency. In practice, they led the state.
Their decisions had the force of law. In the ancient Roman period, the power of senators was gradually limited, inexorably focusing on the emperor. As the governing body turned into a meeting of representatives of noble wealthy families, each senator whose position was inherited ceased to have great political influence.
Russian way
In Russia, the first senate was founded by Tsar Peter the Great in 1711 as the highest organ of state power and legislative activity. Since the beginning of the 19th century, the institution began to exercise oversight functions over the work of public entities. And, according to the high decree, starting in 1864, another important business was assigned to him - to fulfill the function of the highest cassation instance. However, having existed until 1917, the Senate and its members were dissolved as a result of the events of the October Revolution at the request of the "Decree on the Court."
Tsar Peter the Great often left the country, which prevented him from devoting himself entirely to governing the state. In order to delegate power, he repeatedly entrusted the affairs of the elected persons. At first, these powers looked like a temporary personal assignment. But since 1711, similar responsibilities were assigned to a new institution called the Governing Senate. He was not like foreign institutions of that time (Poland, Sweden), but was called upon to meet the peculiar conditions of Russian life. The magnitude of the power granted to officials was determined by decree of the king, which specified the impact on equal with the person of His Majesty. This to some extent influenced the meaning of the word "senator" in the Russian interpretation.
Peter's reforms
When Peter's regular absences ceased, the question of the dissolution of the senators did not arise. The institution becomes the organization where the most important cases of management, legal proceedings and developments of current legislation take place. In the last years of Peter's reign, the extraordinary powers of the senators lost their meaning, mainly in the legislative case. Founded in 1726, the Supreme Privy Council began to actually exercise power, as a result of which the position of the Senate radically changed, and many of its members moved to positions on the Council.
Over the next nearly two hundred years, the organization founded by Peter the Great underwent many changes: it was divided into departments, converted into an office, committee of ministers, shared powers, duties and rights both internally and together with other state institutions. The advent of the revolution and popular power at the beginning of the 20th century made its continued existence impossible. The institution and its members were discharged.
Newest period
For the first time, the prototype of the senate in Russia of the Soviet era was implemented using the example of the Federation Council (unofficial reduction - SovFed) in July 1990 as an advisory body to the President of the USSR in the period 1990-1991. It was headed directly by the head of the country and included senior officials in the apparatus. It included 31 members from among the chairmen of the Soviets of autonomous republics, regions and districts, as well as 31 chairmen of some regional and city bodies. Having drawn an analogy with a number of foreign institutions, people began to call the SovFed the Senate, and its members - senators.
Today, the Upper House of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation is established in Russia . It was created on the basis of the organ of the Soviet period and works on the principle of the classical senate. The Federation Council cannot be dissolved by the President. Sessions in it are held separately from meetings of deputies in the State Duma. It works as a permanent body, members of the Council carry out their duties on an ongoing basis.
Upper chamber
This state body is formed and compiled on a non-partisan basis. This definition means that its members do not create factions and parties. Representatives of the Upper House are endowed with immunity for the entire term of their office. The legislative work of the institution has a subordinate role with respect to the State Duma. Thus, the acts are preliminarily discussed in the Duma and only after a positive assessment are submitted to the Council of Federation.
Over the past 20 years, the Russian "Senate" went through four stages of reform. At each of them, regional leaders were changed, the mechanisms for staff appointments were clarified, and the passing qualification was determined. For example, among the general requirements for elected candidates there is an age limit of 30 years, the need for 5 years of sedentary life, and an impeccable reputation. Each senator in Russia is a representative of the legislative or executive body of a subject of the Federation.
How is it done in America
Senators are the second most politically influential people in the state after the governor. Their total number in the USA is 100 members, 2 representatives from each state. Being elected to the post of US Senator is usually much more difficult than a congressman:
- pass only two people from the state and no more;
- American senators are elected for a six-year term, that is, every 2 years they campaign for one third of the total number of members;
- the election procedure is capable of consuming a large amount of financial and psychological resources.
In order to have real chances for an official candidate for senator, the law requires:
- sufficient time to be a well-known person, it is desirable both in the state and at the level of the federal political atmosphere;
- have a good social status: governor, congressman with experience, mayor from a big city, other advantages and achievements;
- to center around you a lot of influence and financial opportunities;
- each candidate must be nominated by a state party organization; it is very difficult for a non-partisan fighter to win elections in the states.
The Senate election campaign is held in the same fierce manner as the presidential election. Millions are wasted over the course of the year, scandals pop up in the media every now and then. Compete in the struggle for one candidate from the Republican and Democratic parties. If the new chosen one showed a good result of work for the first term, then in the next election he becomes almost invincible. A senator in the United States is a public servant who sometimes holds office until the age of 30.
Senator Responsibilities
A member of the senate of any state is endowed with a number of powers and duties, the performance of which is required by its voters. Since the main work of the institution consists of meetings and discussions of documents, the official must certainly take an active personal part in the meetings of those entities of which he is a member. Senators consider bills, determine the domestic and foreign policies of society, take part in the management of finances, state property, cultural affairs, industry, and education. A member of the institution, by his post, ensures equal representation of each of the subjects of the federation in the supreme authorities. He is elected for a longer term than parliamentarians, and their total number is updated more often. Senators have the same responsibilities as deputies of the lower houses. With the interaction of the Senate with parliament, this allows you to filter decisions with a populist bias.