Page 196
Activity
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■ Make a poster on the life and struggle of Nelson Mandela.
■ If available, read some portions of his autobiography, The Long Walk to Freedom, in the classroom.• Poster Outline on Nelson Mandela: Create a poster titled "Nelson Mandela: The Father of a Free South Africa." Highlight key milestones: his leadership in the African National Congress (ANC), his opposition to racial segregation, his sentencing to life imprisonment on Robben Island (28 years), his release in 1990, and becoming the first President of democratic South Africa in 1994 with the message of reconciliation and forgiveness.
• Classroom Reading Note: Reading selections from Long Walk to Freedom emphasizes how Mandela fought against both white domination and black domination to establish a free society where all persons live together in harmony with equal opportunities.
Page 198
Check Your Progress - Rainbow Nation & Comparative Analysis
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This image captures the spirit of South Africa today. South Africans call themselves a 'rainbow nation'. Can you guess why?
South Africans call themselves a 'rainbow nation' because just like the diverse colors of a rainbow blending together into a beautiful arc, people of diverse racial backgrounds—native blacks, whites, coloureds, and Asians/Indians—live together peacefully as equal citizens in a united democracy without racial discrimination.
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Does the story of South African struggle for freedom remind you of the Indian national movement? Make a list of similarities and dissimilarities between the two on the following points:
■ Nature of colonialism
■ Relationship between different communities
■ Leadership: Gandhi/Mandela
■ Party that led the struggle: African National Congress/ Indian National Congress
■ Method of strugglePoint of Comparison Similarities Dissimilarities Nature of colonialism Both countries were occupied and dominated by European colonial trading powers using armed force. In India, the British ruled from abroad as administrators and did not settle permanently; in South Africa, large numbers of whites settled permanently and became local rulers. Relationship between different communities Different communities united against the common oppressive colonial system. In South Africa, the divide was strictly racial (apartheid between whites, blacks, coloureds, and Indians); in India, social divisions were primarily based on religion, caste, and language. Leadership: Gandhi/Mandela Both were towering leaders with immense moral courage who endured imprisonment, advocated reconciliation, and believed in human dignity. Mahatma Gandhi strictly adhered to non-violent Satyagraha throughout; Nelson Mandela engaged in civil protests but also accepted armed resistance when peaceful methods were ruthlessly suppressed. Party that led the struggle Both the ANC and the INC acted as broad umbrella organizations uniting diverse social and political groups. ANC had to operate underground as a banned organization for several decades; INC fought within colonial legal frameworks and contested provincial elections under British rule. Method of struggle Both movements utilized mass mobilizations, protest marches, boycotts, and strikes. The Indian movement relied primarily on mass non-violent civil disobedience, whereas the anti-apartheid movement faced total segregation, bannings, and international economic sanctions alongside domestic strikes.
Page 200
Activity
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Approach a club or cooperative society or union or political party in your locality. Get a copy of their rule book (it is often called Rules of Association) and read it. Are these rules in accordance with principles of democracy? Do they give membership to any person without discrimination?
Most registered local associations, cooperative societies, and unions have formal written Rules of Association. These rules adhere to democratic principles by providing for elected governing bodies, regular general body meetings, majority voting, and financial accountability. They typically grant membership to any eligible person regardless of caste, religion, or gender without arbitrary discrimination.
Page 202
Activity
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Speak to your grandparents or some other elders in your locality. Ask them if they have any memory of partition or independence or the making of the constitution. What were their fears and hopes about the country at that time? Discuss these in the classroom.
• Fears: Elders recall widespread anxiety over communal violence during partition, displacement of refugees, poverty, and uncertainty regarding the merger of over 500 princely states into a unified nation.
• Hopes: They shared immense optimism for political freedom, the end of foreign exploitation, universal adult franchise, land reforms, industrial development, and equal constitutional rights for every citizen.
Page 204
Activity
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Find out more about any member of the Constituent Assembly from your state or region who is not mentioned here. Collect a photograph or make a sketch of that leader. Write a short note on him or her, following the same style as used here: Name (year of birth-year of death), place of birth (by current political boundaries), brief description of political activities; role played after the Constituent Assembly.
Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu (1872–1957)
• Place of birth: Vinodarayunipalem, Prakasam District, Andhra Pradesh.
• Political activities: Eminent lawyer, known as 'Andhra Kesari' (Lion of Andhra) for his fearless courage during the anti-Simon Commission protests; active leader in the Indian freedom struggle and the Madras Legislative Assembly.
• Role after Constituent Assembly: Served as the first Chief Minister of the newly formed Andhra State in 1953, championing social welfare and farmers' irrigation projects.
Page 206
Check Your Progress - Makers of the Indian Constitution
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Read the information about all the makers of the Indian Constitution given in the side columns here. You don't need to memorise this information. Just give examples from these to support the following statements:
1. The Assembly had many members who were not with the Congress
2. The Assembly represented members from different social groups
3. Members of the Assembly believed in different ideologies1. Members not with the Congress: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was a social revolutionary thinker who founded the Republican Party of India and was often critical of the Congress; Jaipal Singh represented the Adivasi Maha Sabha; Shyama Prasad Mukherjee was active in the Hindu Mahasabha; and Somnath Lahiri was a leader of the Communist Party of India.
2. Representation from different social groups: Jaipal Singh represented tribal/Adivasi communities; H.C. Mookherjee represented the Christian minority; G. Durgabai Deshmukh and Sarojini Naidu represented women; Baldev Singh represented the Sikh community; and Abul Kalam Azad represented the Muslim community.
3. Different ideologies: Jawaharlal Nehru stood for democratic socialism and industrial progress; K.M. Munshi was a Gandhian who later co-founded the free-market Swatantra Party; Somnath Lahiri advocated radical Marxist communism; and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee espoused right-wing nationalist ideology.
Page 210
Check Your Progress - Comparing Three Speeches
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Read the three quotations above carefully.
■ Can you identify one idea that is common to all these three?
■ What are the differences in their ways of expressing that common idea?• Common Idea: Ending inequality and ensuring justice, dignity, and equal opportunity for the poorest and most marginalized citizens of India.
• Differences in Expression:
- Mahatma Gandhi expresses it in moral, idealistic, and spiritual terms, dreaming of a harmonious society free of untouchability and intoxicants, where the poorest have an effective voice.
- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar expresses it in sharp, analytical, and warning terms, pointing out the contradiction of having political equality ('one man one vote') while continuing to deny social and economic equality ('one man one value').
- Jawaharlal Nehru expresses it through poetic, statesmanlike vision, framing it as a solemn pledge and incessant striving to end poverty, ignorance, disease, and inequality of opportunity.
Page 216
Check Your Progress - Comparing Preambles
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Compare the Preambles to the constitutions of the United States of America, India and South Africa.
■ Make a list of ideas that are common to all these three.
■ Note down at least one of the major differences among these.
■ Which of the three makes a reference to the past?
■ Which of these does not invoke God?• Common Ideas: All three begin with the sovereign expression "We the people", declaring that constitutional authority stems from citizens; all emphasize justice, liberty, and the general welfare and unity of the nation.
• Major Difference: The Indian Preamble explicitly defines the character of the state as "Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic Republic"; the South African Preamble focuses heavily on healing historic injustices and human rights; while the US Preamble focuses on forming a more perfect union and common defense.
• Reference to the Past: The South African Constitution makes an explicit reference to the past ("Recognise the injustices of our past; Honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land").
• Does Not Invoke God: Both the United States Constitution and the Indian Constitution do not invoke God in their Preambles (the South African Preamble invokes God: "May God protect our people... God bless South Africa").
Page 218
Exercises 1 to 6
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1. 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:
• Correction: Leaders of the freedom movement were firmly committed to making India a democracy; there was a broad consensus that independent India had to be a democratic nation.
b Members of the Constituent Assembly of India held the same views on all provisions of the Constitution:
• Correction: Members of the Constituent Assembly held widely different opinions and ideologies; they debated clause by clause and considered over two thousand amendments before arriving at a consensus.
c A country that has a constitution must be a democracy:
• Correction: All countries that are democratic have constitutions, but having a constitution does not make a country democratic (many non-democratic regimes also have written constitutions).
d Constitution cannot be amended because it is the supreme law of a country:
• Correction: A constitution can be amended regularly through constitutional amendments to adapt to changing societal needs and citizens' aspirations. -
2. Which of these was the most salient underlying conflict in the making of a democratic constitution in South Africa?
Answer: The underlying conflict was between the white minority and the black majority.
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3. Which of these is a provision that a democratic constitution does not have?
Answer: b Name of the head of the state
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4. Match the following leaders with their roles in the making of the Constitution:
A Ans B a Motilal Nehru ( iv ) i President of the Constituent Assembly b B.R. Ambedkar ( iii ) ii Member of the Constituent Assembly c Rajendra Prasad ( i ) iii Chairman of the Drafting Committee d Sarojini Naidu ( ii ) iv Prepared a Constitution for India in 1928 -
5. 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?• a: Nehru used this expression because achieving complete freedom from poverty, hunger, disease, and social inequalities is an ongoing, vast national task that could not be instantly fulfilled at midnight on the day of political independence.
• b: He wanted them to take the pledge of dedication to the service of India, her suffering millions, and to the larger cause of humanity.
• c: He was referring to Mahatma Gandhi. -
6. Here are some of the guiding values of the Constitution and their meaning. Rewrite them by matching them correctly.
A Ans B a Sovereign ( ii ) i Government will not favour any religion. b Republic ( iii ) ii People have the supreme right to make decisions. c Fraternity ( iv ) iii Head of the state is an elected person. d Secular ( i ) iv People should live like brothers and sisters.
Page 220
Exercises 7 to 10
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7. How did your school celebrate the Constitution Day on November 26th? Prepare a brief report.
Report on Constitution Day Celebrations:
On November 26th, our school observed Constitution Day (Samvidhan Divas) with great enthusiasm. The morning assembly began with all teachers and students collectively reading the Preamble to the Constitution of India. Our Social Studies teacher explained the historical significance of the Constituent Assembly and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's role as Chairman of the Drafting Committee. Students participated in an inter-house quiz competition on fundamental rights and duties, followed by a speech competition highlighting the values of liberty, equality, and fraternity. -
8. 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.• Factor a (British colonial institutions): Moderate importance. British rule was essentially authoritarian and gave voting rights only to a privileged few. However, working within provincial legislatures helped Indians understand administrative and legislative procedures.
• Factor b (Freedom Struggle): Utmost importance. The freedom movement mobilized millions across all castes, religions, and regions, building an unshakeable consensus around universal adult franchise, fundamental freedoms, and social equality.
• Factor c (Democratic convictions of leaders): Very high importance. Unlike leaders in many newly independent post-colonial countries who seized dictatorial power, Indian leaders like Nehru, Patel, and Ambedkar possessed deep democratic convictions and submitted themselves to constitutional supremacy. -
9. Read the following extract from a conduct book for 'married women', published in 1912. 'God has made the female species delicate and fragile both physically and emotionally, pitiably incapable of self-defence. 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 values expressed in this para reflected the values underlying our constitution? Or does this go against the constitutional values?
This extract directly goes against the values underlying our Constitution. The Constitution guarantees Equality (equality before law without discrimination on grounds of sex), individual Dignity, and equal opportunities for women in all spheres of life, completely rejecting patriarchal subordination and treating women as equal, autonomous citizens.
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10. Read the following statements about a constitution. Give reasons why each of these is true or not true.
a The authority of the rules of the constitution is the same as that of any other law:
• Not True: The Constitution is the supreme law of the land; ordinary laws are subordinate to it and can be struck down by courts if they violate constitutional provisions.
b Constitution lays down how different organs of the government will be formed:
• True: It clearly defines the composition, election, and structure of the legislature, executive, and judiciary.
c Rights of citizens and limits on the power of the government are laid down in the constitution:
• True: It guarantees fundamental rights to citizens and restricts state power so that governments cannot act arbitrarily.
d A constitution is about institutions, not about values:
• Not True: While a constitution creates institutional arrangements, those institutions are specifically designed to embody and protect foundational values like justice, equality, and liberty as outlined in the Preamble.
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