Constitutional Design Summary Class 9 Social Science Chapter 2

Democratic Constitution in South Africa

• Apartheid was the name of a system of racial discrimination unique to South Africa.
• This system was particularly oppressive for the blacks.
  • They were forbidden from living in white areas.
• Since 1950, the blacks, coloured and Indians fought against the apartheid system.
• The African National Congress (ANC) was the umbrella organisation that led the struggle against the policies of segregation.
• In 1964, Nelson Mandela and seven other leaders were sentenced to life imprisonment in 1964 for daring to oppose the apartheid regime in his country.

Towards a New Constitution

• As protests and struggles against apartheid had increased, the white regime changed its policies.
• After 28 years of imprisonment, Nelson Mandela released from jail.
• At the midnight of 26 April 1994, democracy was adopted as a form of government in South Africa.
• After two years, a constitution came out which gave to its citizens the most extensive rights available in any country.

Why do we need a Constitution?

A constitution is necessary because:

• It generates a degree of trust and coordination that is necessary for different kind of people to live together.
• It specifies how the government will be constituted, who will have power to take which decisions.
• It lays down limits on the powers of the government and tells us what the rights of the citizens are.
• It expresses the aspirations of the people about creating a good society.

Making of the Indian Constitution

• In 1928, Motilal Nehru and eight other Congress leaders drafted a constitution for India.
• In 1931, the resolution at the Karachi session of the Indian National Congress dwelt on how independent India’s constitution should look like.
• Factors contributed to the making of our Constitution.
  • Ideals of French Revolution
  • The practice of parliamentary democracy in Britain
  • The Bill of Rights in the US
  • The socialist revolution in Russia

The Constituent Assembly

• In July 1946, Elections to the Constituent Assembly were held.
  • The drafting of the document called the constitution was done Constituent Assembly.
  • Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the Chairman of the Constituent Assembly.
  • In December 1946, the first meeting was held.
• After the country was divided into India and Pakistan, the Constituent Assembly also got divided.
• The Assembly adopted the Constitution on 26 November 1949 but it came into effect on 26 January 1950.
• To mark this day we celebrate January 26 as Republic Day every year.
• The Constituent Assembly worked in a systematic, open and consensual manner.
  • First some basic principles were decided and agreed upon.
  • Then a Drafting Committee chaired by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar prepared a draft constitution for discussion.
  • More than two thousand amendments were considered.

Philosophy of the Constitution
The Constitution begins with a short statement of its basic values which is called the Preamble to the constitution.
The preamble focuses on:

• Justice, social, economic and political.
• Liberty of thoughts, expression, belief, faith and worship.
• Equality of status and of opportunity.
• Fraternity assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the nation.