Exercise 1

Which of the following statements about Civil Law is NOT correct?

What is the significance of using the "Scales of Justice" as a common symbol for the judiciary, and what does it symbolize?

The judiciary's autonomy is the linchpin that empowers the courts to assume a central role in preventing any potential abuse of authority by the legislative and executive branches.

What constitutional principles or aspects is being referred to in the statement?

With reference to the above images which of the following statements best describe the significance of the blue color in the prints and its connection to India?

The indigo plant grows primarily in the tropics. By the thirteenth century, Indian indigo was being used by cloth manufacturers in Italy, France and Britain to dye cloth. However, only small amounts of Indian indigo reached the European market and its price was very high. European cloth manufacturers therefore had to depend on another plant called woad to make violet and blue dyes.

How did the competition between indigo and woad impact European governments' trade policies, and what were the consequences of this competition on the cultivation of indigo in various parts of the world during the seventeenth century?

There were two main systems of indigo cultivation- nij and ryoti. Within the system of nij cultivation, the planter produced indigo in lands that he directly controlled. He either bought the land or rented it from other zamindars and produced indigo by directly employing hired labourers.

Describe the challenges faced by indigo planters in expanding the nij cultivation system during the colonial period. What were the obstacles they encountered in acquiring fertile lands and mobilising labour for large-scale indigo production?