States-General

The word States-General, or Estates-General, refers in English to :

• the Etats-Généraux of France before the French Revolution
• the Staten-Generaal of the Netherlands.

The name in both cases signifies, whatever the ultimate divergence in character of the two bodies, the assembly of the representatives of the various estates of the realm, called together for purposes of legislation or deliberation.

For comparison, the parliaments of Jersey and Guernsey are called The States in English, being originally summoned from the estates of the bailiwicks. The parliaments of the Dutch provinces are called "Provincial States" and the parliaments of the Netherlands Antilles, Aruba and pre-indepence Suriname are called "States" as well, as a display of unity with the Netherlands.

See also

• Riksdag of the Estates

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica.