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Difficulty: MediumThe Macpherson Constitution of 1951

A major institutional friction under the Macpherson Constitution of 1951 was that central legislators often prioritized regional party interests over national policy. Which constitutional provision directly created this structural conflict?

  1. The indirect election of central House of Representatives members from within the Regional Houses of AssemblyAnswer
  2. B
    The complete absence of regional executive councils, which concentrated all political power in the central governor
  3. C
    The creation of a fully federal system that granted exclusive legislative authority over all subjects solely to the central legislature
  4. D
    The elimination of judicial oversight mechanisms to check legislative overreach between central and regional organs

Answer

The indirect election of central House of Representatives members from within the Regional Houses of Assembly.
Under the Macpherson Constitution of 1951, members of the central House of Representatives were not directly elected by the populace. Instead, they were chosen indirectly from among the members of the Regional Houses of Assembly. Consequently, legislators owed their political survival and primary loyalty to their regional assemblies and regional party leaders, which created severe central-regional friction and undermined national unity.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the structural arrangement of the central legislature under the Macpherson Constitution of 1951.
The 1951 Constitution established a House of Representatives whose members were indirectly elected from the Regional Houses of Assembly.
Understanding how central representatives were selected explains why their political accountability remained rooted in their respective regions.
2
Examine how this election mechanism affected regional and central party loyalty.
Because regional assemblies chose the central representatives, political parties operating regionally controlled who represented the regions at the center.
This created a situation where members of the central legislature owed their positions to regional party leaders rather than national constituents.
3
Identify the correct constitutional provision matching the question's premise.
The provision for indirect election of central legislators from regional houses directly generated regionalist loyalties and national political friction.
This structural flaw contributed significantly to the eventual breakdown of the constitution in 1953.

Key Concept

Indirect Election and Regional-Central Conflict under the Macpherson Constitution
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

The Macpherson Constitution of 1951