Revision Notes: Constitution: Why and How? | Political Science Class 11 - Humanities/Arts PDF Download

Overview

The chapter “Constitution: Why and How?” explains what a constitution is, why we need it, and how it affects our society. It shows that the constitution makes rules so people can live together peacefully, tells us who can make laws, protects our rights, and guides us towards goals like equality. It also explains how India’s Constitution was written by the Constituent Assembly between 1946 and 1949, and how it carefully balanced different needs to create a fair and lasting system for governing the country.

FACTS THAT MATTER

1. A constitution is a set of basic rules that helps a country run smoothly by guiding how people with different beliefs and backgrounds live together peacefully.
2. It decides who makes laws. In India, the Constitution gives this power to elected representatives in Parliament, answering the question "Who gets to decide?"
3. It limits government power by protecting rights like freedom of speech, religion, association, and protection from unfair arrest, which can only be restricted in specific emergencies.
4. It helps the government achieve goals like ending caste discrimination, providing education, and ensuring basic dignity, as seen in India’s Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles.
5. It creates a shared identity for people. India’s Constitution treats everyone equally, not basing citizenship on caste, religion, or race.
6. A constitution works well if trusted leaders make it, it has fair rules, and it shares power among institutions like the Legislature, Executive, and Judiciary to prevent misuse.
7. India’s Constitution was made by the Constituent Assembly (1946-1949), starting with 389 members, reduced to 299 after Partition, including people from all religions and 28 from Scheduled Castes.
8. The Assembly was trusted because its leaders, like Nehru, Patel, and Ambedkar, were respected, it included diverse groups, and it openly discussed ideas to make fair decisions.
9. The Assembly worked through eight committees, met for 166 days, and held open debates, showing commitment to fair and thoughtful decision-making.
10. The Constitution was inspired by India’s freedom movement and Nehru’s 1946 Objectives Resolution, promising equality, freedom, justice, and protection for minorities.
11. It borrowed ideas from other countries, like rights from the USA, guidelines from Ireland, and the parliamentary system from Britain, but adapted them for India’s needs.
12. The Constitution balances strict rules with flexibility, making it a “living document” that people respect and follow, influencing other constitutions like South Africa’s.
13. It allows the government to do good things, like providing education and fighting discrimination, similar to constitutions in South Africa and Indonesia.
14. The Constituent Assembly was formed under the 1946 Cabinet Mission Plan, with seats based on population and representation for different communities.
15. The Assembly gained trust from the nationalist movement’s support and the credibility of its leaders, even without a public referendum.
16. A constitution is a document (or set of documents, like in the UK) that outlines how a country is governed and what rules it follows.
17. Constitutions are effective only if they impact people’s lives, have fair rules for all, and prevent any group from gaining too much power.
18. Nepal’s constitution-making shows challenges, moving from king-granted documents to a 2015 democratic republic after protests.

WORDS THAT MATTER

1. Constitution: The main rules that guide how a country is run, who makes laws, and what rights people have.
2. Constituent Assembly: The group that wrote India’s Constitution from 1946 to 1949, finishing it on 26 November 1949.
3. Objectives Resolution: A 1946 plan by Nehru listing the Constitution’s goals, like freedom, equality, justice, and protecting minorities.
4. Fundamental Rights: Basic freedoms like speaking or practicing religion, protected so the government can’t take them away.
5. Directive Principles: Guidelines for the government to improve people’s lives, like reducing inequality, but not enforceable in court.
6. Public Reason: When Assembly members discussed ideas for the whole country’s benefit, not just their own groups.
7. Universal Suffrage: The right for all adults to vote, no matter their caste, religion, or education, accepted in India without debate.