Legislatures as ‘Rubber Stamps’: Between Democratic Decline and Adaptation to Modern Governance Introduction The legislature has long been considered the central institution of representative democracy, tasked with lawmaking, oversight of the executive, and representation of public will. Classical theories of constitutionalism, such as those advanced by Montesquieu in his doctrine of the separation of powers, … Continue reading Comment on the assertion that legislatures today function more as ‘rubber stamps’ for the executive rather than as effective checks on governmental power. Debate whether the weakening of legislatures is a symptom of democratic decline or an adaptation to the complexity of modern governance.