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Chapter Summary
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| This chapter delves into the necessity, creation, and modification of constitutions in democratic states, using the South African and Indian experiences as case studies. |
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Democratic Constitution in South Africa
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Nelson Mandela's Fight Against Apartheid
- Nelson Mandela, along with seven other leaders, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1964 for opposing apartheid.
- He spent 28 years in Robben Island prison.
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Apartheid System
- Apartheid was a system of racial discrimination imposed by white Europeans.
- The system categorized people based on skin color into whites, blacks, coloreds, and Indians.
- Non-whites were treated as inferiors and lacked voting rights.
- Blacks faced severe restrictions, such as needing permits to work in white areas and segregation in public facilities.
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Why Do We Need a Constitution?
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- Constitutions generate trust and coordination, specify government structure, limit government powers, and express societal aspirations.
- Democratic countries universally have constitutions. |
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Making of the Indian Constitution
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Challenges and Advantages
- The Indian Constitution was crafted amidst post-partition violence and the uncertainty of princely states' mergers.
- Unlike South Africa, India's basic democratic principles were pre-agreed upon during the freedom struggle.
- The Constitution drafting involved extensive debates and amendments, resulting in 12 volumes of recorded debates.
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Diverse Representation
- The Constituent Assembly included members from various regions, social groups, and political ideologies.
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Consensus and Systematic Process
- Basic principles were first agreed upon.
- The Drafting Committee, chaired by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, prepared the draft.
- Over three years, the Assembly deliberated for 114 days, considering more than 2000 amendments.
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Guiding Values of the Indian Constitution
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- The Constitution embodies the values and philosophy envisioned by leaders like Mahatma Gandhi.
- It includes universal adult franchise, freedom, equality, and minority rights. |
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Key Figures in Indian Constitution Making
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- **Rajendra Prasad**: President of the Constituent Assembly and later the first President of India.
- **H. C. Mookherjee**: Vice-Chairman of the Constituent Assembly and Governor of West Bengal.
- **Jaipal Singh**: Adivasi leader and founder of the Jharkhand Party.
- **Baldev Singh**: Leader of the Panthic Akali Party and later Defence Minister.
- **G. Durgabai Deshmukh**: Advocate for women’s emancipation and founder of Andhra Mahila Sabha.
- **Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar**: Chairman of the Drafting Committee and social reformer. |
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Summary
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| The chapter emphasizes the importance of constitutions in democracies, detailing the processes and challenges involved in drafting them, and highlights the foundational values and key figures in the making of the Indian Constitution. |
