The federation of which one of the following States has been described as "an indestructible union of indestructible states"?
- A.India
- B.U.S.A.
- C.Canada
- D.Australia
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is B, U.S.A.. The American federation is called "an indestructible union of indestructible states", a phrase from the US Supreme Court's judgment in Texas v. White (1869).
The United States was formed by an agreement among independent states, which kept their own constitutions and boundaries. The Union cannot be broken by a state leaving it, and the federal government cannot change a state's area or abolish it without its consent. Both the Union and the states are therefore indestructible. India is the opposite case: it is described as "an indestructible union of destructible states", because under Article 3 Parliament can form new states and change the area, boundaries or name of an existing state by a simple law, even without the state's consent.
A is wrong because India is an indestructible union of destructible states.
C is wrong because Canada is a federation with a strong centre, not the source of this phrase.
D is wrong because the phrase was not coined for the Australian federation.
Exam tip: USA, indestructible union of indestructible states; India, indestructible union of destructible states (Article 3).
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