NCERT Book Class 9 Social Science (Civics) Chapter 2 Constitutional Design

CHAPTER 2

CONSTITUTIONAL
DESIGN

OVERVIEW
We noted in the previous chapter that in a democracy the rulers are not
free to do what they like. There are certain basic rules that the citizens
and the government have to follow. All such rules together are called
constitution. As the supreme law of the country, the constitution determines
the rights of citizens, the powers of the government and how the government
should function.
In this chapter we ask some basic questions about the constitutional
design of a democracy. Why do we need a constitution? How are the
constitutions drawn up? Who designs them and in what way? What are
the values that shape the constitutions in democratic states? Once a
constitution is accepted, can we make changes later as required by the
changing conditions?
One recent instance of designing constitution for a democratic state is
that of South Africa. We begin this chapter by looking at what happened
there and how the South Africans went about this task of designing their
constitution. Then we turn to how the Indian Constitution was made,
what its foundational values are, and how it provides a good framework
for the conduct of citizens’ life and that of the government.

18 DEMOCRATIC POLITICS