Solution of Chapter 3. Constitutional Design (Democratic Politics-I Book)

Here are some false statements. Identify the mistake in each case and rewrite these correctly based on what you have read in this chapter.

(a) Leaders of the freedom movement had an open mind about whether the country should be democratic or not after independence.

(b) Members of the Constituent Assembly of India held the same views on all provisions of the Constitution.

(c) A country that has a constitution must be a democracy.

(d) Constitution cannot be amended because it is the supreme law of a country.

Which of these was the most salient underlying conflict in the making of a democratic constitution in South Africa?

Which of these is a provision that a democratic constitution does not have?

Match the following leaders with their roles in the making of the Constitution:

Read again the extracts from Nehru's speech Tryst with Destiny' and answer the following:

(a) Why did Nehru use the expression "not wholly or in full measure” in the first sentence?

(b) What pledge did he want the makers of the Indian Constitution to take?

(c) "The ambition of the greatest man of our generation has been to wipe every tear from every eye.”. Who was he referring to?

Here are some of the guiding values of the Constitution and their meaning. Rewrite them by matching them correctly:

A friend from Nepal has written you a letter describing the political situation there. Many political parties are opposing the rule of the king. Some of them say that the existing constitution given by the monarch can be amended to allow more powers to elected representatives. Others are demanding a new Constituent Assembly to write a republican constitution. Reply to your friend giving your opinions on the subject.

Here are different opinions about what made India a democracy. How much importance would you give to each of these factors?

(a) Democracy in India is a gift of the British rulers. We received training to work with representative legislative institutions under the British rule.

(b) Freedom struggle challenged the colonial exploitation and denial of different freedoms to Indians. Free India could not be anything but democratic.

(c) We were lucky to have leaders who had democratic convictions. The denial of democracy in several other newly independent countries shows the important role of these leaders.

Read the following extract from a conduct book for ’married women’, published in 1912.

‘God has need the female species delicate and fragile with physically and emotionally, pitiably in capable of self-defense. They are destined thus by god to remain in male protection-of father, husband and son-all their lives. Women should, therefore, not despair, but feel obliged that they can dedicate themselves to the service of men’.

Do you think the value expressed in this para reflected the value underlying our constitution? Or does this go against the constitutional values?

Read the following statements about a constitution. Give reason why each of these is true or not true.

(a) The authority of the rule of the constitution is the same as that of any other law.

(b) Constitution lay down how different organs of the government will be formed.

(c) Rights of citizens and limits on the power of the governments are laid down in the constitution.

(d) A constitution is about institutions, not about values.