Class 9 Civics Chapter 2 Notes - Constitutional Design

• Nelson Mandela was a key figure in South Africa’s fight against racial segregation, known as Apartheid.
• He was jailed for 28 years (1964-1992) for his opposition to the Apartheid government.
• After his release, Mandela became South Africa’s first black President.
• Blacks, coloured, and Indians fought against apartheid through protests, marches, and strikes; African National Congress (ANC) led the struggle, included workers' unions, Communist Party, and supportive whites.
• The South African people, of all colors, stood against the Apartheid laws set by the white minority.
• By the 1980s, these laws began to be taken apart, leading to change.
• In 1994, South Africa had its first election where everyone could vote, regardless of race.
• The new constitution focused on healing from past struggles and bringing people together.
• It set out to make South Africa a place of fairness, freedom, and respect for everyone.
•  Several countries denounced apartheid as unjust and racist, but the white racist government continued oppressive rule by detaining, torturing, and killing thousands of black and coloured people.

• The whites that oppressed people and the group fighting for freedom that were the black, worked together to create a new constitution.
• This constitution is considered one of the best in the world.
• It offers its people more rights than any other country’s constitution.
• The constitution states that everyone should be included in solving problems, without blaming or excluding anyone.
• It suggests that everyone has a role in making things better, no matter their past actions or beliefs.
• The South African constitution is a source of inspiration for people who believe in democracy around the world.
• South Africa has transformed from being known as undemocratic to being a role model for democracy.

• Nelson Mandela led the fight against Apartheid as an ANC leader.
• Imprisoned for 28 years, he was released in 1990.
• Apartheid laws were repealed, and South Africa held its first democratic elections in 1994.
• Mandela became the nation's first black president.
• He promoted forgiveness, unity, and human rights.
• A collaborative effort created a globally admired constitution, symbolizing democratic transformation.

• A Constitution is a set of written rules agreed upon by everyone in a country.
• It is the supreme law that defines how citizens relate to each other and to the government.
• The constitution serves several purposes:
  1. It builds trust and coordination among diverse people.
  2. It outlines the structure of the government and decision-making powers.
  3. It sets boundaries on government power and lists citizens’ rights.
  4. It reflects the people’s desire for a just and good society.

• The U.S. and French Constitutions arose after their respective revolutions and wars, establishing democratic governance.
• Most democratic countries have constitutions, and even non-democratic countries require basic rules for governance.

Constitutions serve as the supreme law that governs the relationship between people and their government.

• The Indian Constitution represents the collective agreement of many people at the time, not just a few individuals.
• It has been respected and upheld, unlike some countries that had to completely rewrite their constitutions.
• No significant group or political party has ever questioned the legitimacy of the Constitution itself, which is quite remarkable.
• The Constituent Assembly was not directly elected by all citizens due to the absence of universal suffrage but was elected by members of the Provincial Legislatures.
• This ensured a diverse representation from various regions, languages, castes, classes, religions, and occupations.
• The assembly worked in an orderly and transparent manner, agreeing on fundamental principles.
• A committee headed by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was responsible for drafting the Constitution.
• They meticulously discussed the draft, considering over two thousand amendments.
• The discussions were meticulously documented in the ‘Constituent Assembly Debates,’ which span 12 volumes.
• These debates provide detailed explanations for each part of the Constitution and assist in its interpretation.

1. The makers of the Indian Constitution wanted it to reflect the people’s hopes and societal changes.
2. They didn’t view the Constitution as something that couldn’t be changed, so they allowed for amendments.
3. 104 amendments have been made to the Constitution so far.

The process for making amendments is divided into three categories:

(i) First category: Amendments need a simple majority in Parliament and the President’s approval.
(ii) Second category: Amendments need a special majority—two-thirds of Parliament members present and voting—followed by the President’s assent.
(iii) Third category: These amendments are tough to pass. They require the special majority plus approval from at least 50% of the state legislatures.

Difficult Words

1. Apartheid: A policy or system of segregation or discrimination on grounds of race, which was formerly practiced in South Africa against non-white citizens.

2. Constituent Assembly: A body composed of members elected to draft or adopt a new constitution or reform an existing one.

3. Universal Adult Suffrage: The right of citizens in a given society who are entitled to vote in an election to do so; typically, this term refers to all adults, without regard to race, sex, belief, or social status.

4. Preamble: An introductory statement in a document that explains the document's purpose and underlying philosophy.

5. Sovereign: Possessing supreme or ultimate power. In the context of a country, it means independent and having the right to govern itself.

6. Secular: The principle of separation of the government from religious institutions.

7. Socialist: In the context of the Indian Constitution, it refers to an economic system where the government or the public as a whole has ownership and control of the means of production and distribution of goods.

8. Republic: A state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives, and which has an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch.

9. Fraternity: A group of people sharing a common profession or interests, which in the context of the constitution, reflects a sense of brotherhood and mutual support within a society.

10. Amendments: Changes or additions that are made to a constitution or a law.

11. Bill of Rights: A formal declaration of the legal and civil rights of the citizens of any state, country, federation, etc.

12. Judiciary: The judicial authorities of a country; the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in legal cases.

13. Multi-party System: A system of government in which multiple political parties have the capacity to gain control of government offices, independently or in coalition.

14. Parliamentary Democracy: A form of government in which the executive derives its legitimacy from its ability to command the support of the legislature, typically a parliament, to which it is accountable.

15. Constitutional Monarchy: A system of government in which a monarch (king or queen) acts as the Head of State within the parameters of a constitution.