The Indian Constitution is a book written by Granville Austin, an American historian, and political scientist. The book provides a detailed account of the Indian Constituent Assembly and the history of the Indian Constitution.
Austin spent several years in India researching the history of the Constitution, which was a product of a unique experiment in a world still reeling under the effects of the Second World War, decolonisation, and the beginning of the Cold War. The book is divided into two parts: the first part deals with the making of the Constitution, while the second part discusses how it has worked in practice. Austin’s work is considered groundbreaking and has been widely acclaimed for its clarity of thought, depth of research, and mastery of primary sources.
His writing reflects a sense of nationalism that was at once characterized by unity, consensus, conciliation, and accommodation amidst India’s many diversities and differences. The book is a product of a unique experiment in a world still reeling under the effects of the Second World War, decolonisation, and the beginning of the Cold War